The Maharashtra government is proposing to extend its bike-taxi regulatory framework to include major food delivery and e-commerce platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, and Zepto. According to reports from The Indian Express, the state transport department has proposed amendments to the Maharashtra Bike-Taxi Rules, 2025, which currently apply only to ride-hailing aggregators. This would mark the first time that delivery service and e-commerce platforms operate under a state-level regulatory framework, as these businesses are currently governed primarily by central legislation including the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and the Code on Social Security, 2020. Transport department officials, led by Minister Pratap Sarnaik, are learnt to be drafting changes to the existing Bike-Taxi Rules of 2025 that would pull delivery and e-commerce companies into a regulatory net currently reserved only for cab-hailing aggregators. Under the draft changes, any company running vehicle fleets for parcels, products or packages would be classified as a "delivery service provider," a definition broad enough to cover Swiggy, Blinkit and Zepto for the first time.
Under the proposed amendments, delivery platforms would be required to maintain electric vehicle (EV) fleets and contribute 2% of the fare from each ride to a driver welfare fund. As reported by The Indian Express, the framework would mandate platforms to operate EV-only fleets, enable GPS tracking of vehicles and drivers, provide insurance cover, and obtain unique licence identification numbers. Companies falling under the new classification would need to switch entirely to electric vehicles, fit GPS trackers, carry insurance, follow fare caps set by the Regional Transport Authority, and register for a distinct licence ID. The proposed rules define delivery service providers as entities that own or operate vehicle fleets for transporting products, parcels and packages, potentially bringing platforms such as Swiggy, Blinkit, Zomato and Zepto within the regulatory scope. A share of every fare, 2%, would flow into a welfare corpus meant to fund driver pensions, accident cover, EV loans and support for their children's education. However, unlike bike-taxi services, food delivery, quick commerce and e-commerce platforms do not operate on fixed ride fares, making it unclear whether the proposed levy would be calculated on the amount paid to delivery partners for each order or based on the distance travelled. For customers, the important question will be whether additional compliance costs eventually influence delivery charges or other fees. The proposal itself does not say that customers will have to pay a separate welfare charge. Instead, the proposed 2 per cent contribution would come from the fare paid to the driver/platform transaction.
The proposed driver welfare fund would support pension benefits, accident insurance, loans for purchasing EVs and education assistance for drivers' children. According to The Indian Express, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik confirmed that vehicles operating on trips of less than 15 km would be covered under the policy, with EV and other compliance requirements applying to relevant aggregators if the amendments are approved. A share of every fare, 2%, would flow into a welfare corpus meant to fund driver pensions, accident cover, EV loans and support for their children's education. The proposal has been sent to the state Law and Judiciary department for scrutiny, with the government stating the changes are aimed at creating employment opportunities for local youth. Confirming the news, Sarnaik told The Indian Express that the revised policy would cover all bike rides of up to 15 kilometres, with fleet electrification and other compliance requirements for aggregators coming into effect only after the proposed amendments receive approval. For delivery workers, the changes could have a more direct financial impact, particularly if the proposed welfare fund translates into pension support, accident insurance, EV purchase loans and education assistance for their children. These benefits could potentially address some of the financial risks associated with gig work.
The proposed framework incorporates provisions from the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Aggregator Rules, 2026, which provide for a dedicated portal developed by the State Transport Commissioner to monitor vehicles operating on bike-taxi platforms in real time. As reported by The Indian Express, if extended to delivery services, such a system could give the state greater visibility over vehicles and drivers working for app-based delivery platforms. This would address the current challenge where platforms operate outside the state's bike taxi regulations, making it difficult for authorities to monitor their operations or intervene when disputes arise. A transport department official confirmed that delivery and e-commerce companies currently operate outside the state's bike taxi regulations, making regulatory oversight challenging. Citing transport department officials, the reported noted that the proposed changes are aimed at bringing delivery and e-commerce platforms within a framework that would allow the state to monitor their operations and improve accountability in cases involving disputes or passenger grievances.
While Maharashtra would not be the first state to introduce rules covering electrification of delivery and ride-aggregator fleets, it would be unique in requiring a 2% fare contribution to a welfare fund. According to The Indian Express, the Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme, 2023, provides for phased electrification of such fleets, while Haryana has introduced provisions for gradual electrification under the Haryana Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2026. However, these frameworks do not prescribe the welfare-fund contribution similar to Maharashtra's proposal, with worker protections in other states linked to broader labour regulations applicable to gig and platform workers. The Maharashtra proposal comes amid growing state-level efforts to regulate gig work and strengthen social security for platform workers, with the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025 establishing a welfare board and fund for gig workers with a 1% per transaction levy, subject to category-wise caps ranging from ₹0.50 to ₹1 for different vehicle categories. If approved, the Maharashtra proposal would add another layer to the evolving state-level regulatory landscape for gig workers and platform businesses, potentially increasing compliance costs for food delivery, quick commerce and e-commerce companies operating across multiple states.
