News Brief
Motorcycles Eligible For Taxi Services, States Advised To Process Permits: Centre Issues Clarification
Bike Taxi. (Representative Image)
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a clarification to states, asserting that motorcycles fall under the purview of contract carriages and can be utilised as taxis for passenger transport.
As reported by Business Line, In an advisory sent to states last month, the Ministry highlighted concerns regarding the interpretation of regulations in certain states, where motorcycles were deemed ineligible for operating as transport vehicles or under contract carriage permits.
Citing the Motor Vehicles Act (MV Act) of 1988, the Ministry emphasised that motorcycles are included in the definition of motor vehicles under Section 2(28).
Furthermore, it clarified that Section 2(7) of the MV Act categorises contract carriages as vehicles engaged in transporting passengers for hire or reward under a contract, explicitly allowing motorcycles to fall within this ambit.
The advisory also referenced section 178(3) of the MV Act, which imposes fines on permit holders or drivers of two-wheeled contract carriages for refusal to apply or carry passengers, further affirming the eligibility of motorcycles for taxi services.
In light of these provisions, MoRTH has urged states to accept and process applications for contract carriage permits for motorcycles in accordance with the MV Act and its rules.
This clarification opens up avenues for the integration of motorcycle taxis into public transportation systems, a common practice in several Asian, Latin American, and African countries.
While Goa was the pioneer in permitting bike taxis for commercial use in 1981, Mizoram followed suit in 2016.
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