Pune: Carpooling apps, ride-sharing platforms, and shared autorickshaws are set to operate in Maharashtra soon, driven by the steep hike in fuel prices. State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik confirmed on Friday that the government is now positive about allowing these services, which were previously not permitted in the state.
Government Directive and Proposal
Minister Sarnaik stated that his department has received a directive to prepare a detailed proposal and formulate rules for introducing carpooling apps, ride-sharing platforms, and shared autorickshaws across Maharashtra. The rising fuel prices have prompted this decision. Sources within the transport department indicated that the specifics would be finalized shortly.
Public Response
Residents and commuters have welcomed the move, especially in cities like Pune, where worsening traffic congestion and inadequate public transport have forced people to seek alternative travel options. Ashwin Dixit, a bank employee from NIBM Road, expressed surprise that carpooling was still not allowed in Maharashtra. He emphasized that globally, governments encourage carpooling to reduce traffic and fuel consumption, and urged the state to support such platforms, particularly in Pune given the traffic situation and poor public transport.
A senior official from the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) stated that carpooling platforms would currently be allowed to operate without any penal action. Last year, the RTO had acted against some aggregators offering carpooling services and even formed a special squad to monitor them. However, the present conditions do not permit penal action against these platforms. The official added that teams would continue to monitor activities, but aggregators can operate for now.
Commuters noted that several such services have continued functioning in Pune despite earlier restrictions. Nayana Anand, a Delhi-based professional, shared that she recently used a carpooling app while traveling from Pune to Ahmednagar and has used these apps multiple times whenever in Pune, suggesting that RTO monitoring is not very strict.
Enthusiasm for Shared Autorickshaws
Many commuters expressed particular enthusiasm about the proposal to introduce shared autorickshaws. Shantanu Padhi, a student from Kalyaninagar, pointed out that shared autos are common in many north Indian cities and help passengers save money. He believes that if the government implements this in Pune, it will be a major relief, especially since fuel prices are high while salaries do not increase in line with inflation.
