Mumbai: The Maharashtra government officially lifted a nine-year-old freeze on its rent-a-bike policy, paving the way for regulated bike rental services across the state. This long-awaited move is expected to benefit tourists, citizens and especially the youth, who can tap into a new source of livelihood.

Criterias To Be Bike Rental Operator

While final details, such as hourly rental charges, are still being worked out, the state transport department has outlined key provisions. To offer rental two-wheelers, an operator will now require a license costing Rs 1,000 annually. Additionally, a minimum fleet of five bikes is mandatory and operations will be restricted to the license holder’s city or district jurisdiction.

The rent-a-bike policy, originally laid out by the Centre in 1997, had been functioning in Maharashtra without proper regulation or oversight. A stay was imposed in 2016 to curb unregulated growth, especially in tourist-heavy areas, due to a lack of framework and monitoring mechanisms.

Despite the official freeze, bike rental operations continued illegally in many areas, reportedly with the tacit support of some local transport officers. This led to inconsistent pricing, a lack of consumer grievance systems, and revenue loss to the state.

With the new rules in place, the government aims to regularise the industry and legitimise employment opportunities for local youth. “Though the scheme was stayed, it was operating illegally. Now, we’re regulating it to create accountability and safeguard tourists and citizens,” a transport department official stated, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

The scheme is expected to be particularly beneficial in regions like the Konkan, where transport infrastructure is poor, and tourists often fall prey to overcharging by auto and taxi operators. “Affordable rental bikes will help tourists explore more freely,” noted a departmental memo.

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik confirmed the revival of the scheme and stated that action would be taken against unauthorised operators. “Regulating this sector will benefit both users and the government,” he said, according to the report.

Why Was Rent-a-Bike Policy Stayed Earlier?

The original stay in 2016 was imposed by then-Transport Minister Diwakar Raote, reportedly to curb irregularities and due to political ties between some operators and opposition leader Narayan Rane. At the time, licenses were being improperly issued at the local level instead of by the additional chief secretary. These loopholes led to the stay and a prolonged delay in reimplementation, until now.