The minister stated that the increasing number of bike taxis, particularly those operated through Rapido, posed a serious threat to public safety. (Source: Express Photo) In a fresh escalation of Maharashtra’s crackdown on bike taxis, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has sought the shutdown of app-based ride hailing platforms operating bike taxi services in the state and called for criminal action against company owners. The Maharashtra government has directed the state cyber crime department to immediately block unauthorised bike taxi apps and initiate legal proceedings against aggregators allegedly operating without valid permissions. In a letter dated May 12 to the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra Cyber, Sarnaik alleged that companies such as Ola, Uber and Rapido have been operating passenger transport services in Maharashtra without valid permissions, government approval or compliance with transport department regulations.…