Mumbai Could Soon Get Two Wheeler Taxis
Sameer Contractor
1 min read
Jul 13, 2017, 11:51 AM
Key Highlights
- The government nod is yet to arrive for Mumbai bike taxis
- Tygr is working on availing the permission
- Tygr plans to expand to 10,000 cabs in Mumbai over the next months
Kolkata-based cab service aggregator Tygr forayed into Mumbai yesterday with a fleet of 5000 cabs in the city. While the start-up is finding its footing in the cab service segment against giants like Uber and Ola, Tygr's founder and CEO Aditya Poddar said that the company is also planning to introduce two wheeler taxis in the city. While the company aims to roll out the two wheeler taxi service at the earliest, it is waiting for the state rules to allow them to do so.
At present, operating a two-wheeler taxi service does not fall under the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Rules and hence cannot be allowed to be operated to ferry passengers. The absence of a statutory rule also means there is no clarity on fares and safety for passengers. That is why, while two-wheeler taxis have been introduced in other cities, it is yet to make its way to Mumbai. In fact, UberMOTO two wheeler taxis was introduced in Bangalore last year on a pilot basis but did not make way to the financial capital. Tygr did introduce two wheeler taxis in Kolkata earlier this year, while another firm K Bike Taxi also offers the service in the city. However, Tygr won't be the first company to introduce two wheeler taxis in Mumbai. In 2015, a start-up by the name of Hey Taxi! launched two wheeler taxis in the city, but had to shut the service down within a week of operations. The two wheeler taxis did not fall under the state's motor vehicle rules, which barred the start-up from offering the service. At the time, the city RTO had said that Mumbai presently did not need two wheeler taxis, considering there are already shared three wheelers and four wheeler cabs available. However, with steady demand and growing congestion in the city, the state might just look into amending the rule.
Already a popular concept in China, two wheeler taxis are seen as a cheaper and quicker alternative to conventional cabs and services. For customers on a clock, the service promises to offer easy access to congested places where cabs would be a hassle while also improving on last mile connectivity.
When asked about cannibalisation by two wheeler taxis over cabs, Poddar said that there will always be limited demand for two wheeler taxis. He further added that customers would want comfort over utility and thus will choose cabs. The monsoon season would be another period when demand for two wheeler taxis is expected to be low. However, when it comes to financial viability fort the two wheeler operator, Tygr plans to use the same two wheelers during odd hours to deliver goods within the city.
Tygr aims to provide complete logistics solution with access to cabs, three wheelers, delivery vehicles as well as an ambulance in one app. Cab owners need to subscribe for Rs. 500 and Tygr will provide customers at no extra cost. For the passenger hailing a cab via Tygr, there won't be any peak pricing and that, the company says, will keep the overall fares cheaper by 30 per cent over conventional cab aggregators.
At present, operating a two-wheeler taxi service does not fall under the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Rules and hence cannot be allowed to be operated to ferry passengers. The absence of a statutory rule also means there is no clarity on fares and safety for passengers. That is why, while two-wheeler taxis have been introduced in other cities, it is yet to make its way to Mumbai. In fact, UberMOTO two wheeler taxis was introduced in Bangalore last year on a pilot basis but did not make way to the financial capital. Tygr did introduce two wheeler taxis in Kolkata earlier this year, while another firm K Bike Taxi also offers the service in the city. However, Tygr won't be the first company to introduce two wheeler taxis in Mumbai. In 2015, a start-up by the name of Hey Taxi! launched two wheeler taxis in the city, but had to shut the service down within a week of operations. The two wheeler taxis did not fall under the state's motor vehicle rules, which barred the start-up from offering the service. At the time, the city RTO had said that Mumbai presently did not need two wheeler taxis, considering there are already shared three wheelers and four wheeler cabs available. However, with steady demand and growing congestion in the city, the state might just look into amending the rule.
Already a popular concept in China, two wheeler taxis are seen as a cheaper and quicker alternative to conventional cabs and services. For customers on a clock, the service promises to offer easy access to congested places where cabs would be a hassle while also improving on last mile connectivity.
When asked about cannibalisation by two wheeler taxis over cabs, Poddar said that there will always be limited demand for two wheeler taxis. He further added that customers would want comfort over utility and thus will choose cabs. The monsoon season would be another period when demand for two wheeler taxis is expected to be low. However, when it comes to financial viability fort the two wheeler operator, Tygr plans to use the same two wheelers during odd hours to deliver goods within the city.
Tygr aims to provide complete logistics solution with access to cabs, three wheelers, delivery vehicles as well as an ambulance in one app. Cab owners need to subscribe for Rs. 500 and Tygr will provide customers at no extra cost. For the passenger hailing a cab via Tygr, there won't be any peak pricing and that, the company says, will keep the overall fares cheaper by 30 per cent over conventional cab aggregators.
Latest News
Bilal Firfiray | Feb 16, 2026BMW X3 xDrive30 M Sport Pro Lanched In India At Rs 74.50 LakhThe new range-topping xDrive 30 done up in the M Sport Pro trim offers 255bhp and 400Nm. Can do 0-100kmph in just 6.3 seconds1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | Feb 16, 2026Jeep Meridian Track Edition Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs 35.95 LakhSpecial edition of the Meridian is based on the fully-loaded Meridian Overland.1 min read
Girish Karkera | Feb 16, 2026MG's First Plug-In Hybrid For India Coming In 2026, Confirms MD Anurag MehrotraJSW MG is pivoting toward a hybrid and electric future, targeting a 30% market share for New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) by the end of the decade1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 15, 2026Maruti Suzuki Brezza Facelift Spied With 6-Speed Manual GearboxLatest images of the test car’s interior suggest that it could become the first Maruti to get a 6-speed manual gearbox.1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | Feb 15, 2026SIAM Reports PV Sales Of Almost 4.5 Lakh Units, 2W Sales Of Over 19 Lakh Units In January 2026SIAM reported that sales of passenger vehicles and two-wheelers were the best ever for the month of January.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 14, 2026Kawasaki Ninja, Versys Models Available With Discounts Of Up To Rs 2.50 LakhThe highest discount is being offered on the Ninja ZX-10R, followed by the Ninja 1100 SX and ZX-6R models.2 mins read
Jafar Rizvi | Feb 15, 2026Maruti Suzuki Victoris: Long-Term Review - Report 1The Victoris is Maruti’s latest offering for the Indian market, and after spending some time with it, here are a few early impressions.1 min read
Bilal Firfiray | Feb 12, 2026BMW X3 30 xDrive M Sport Review: The Driver’s SUV ReturnsRange-toppingX3 30 xDrive M Sport brings back the fun with 255bhp and genuine enthusiast appeal. Does this performance-focused SUV stand out?5 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Feb 11, 2026Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupe Review: The Goldilocks AMG?The Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupe is a concoction of hooliganistic performance and everyday usability. Here’s why this Rs 1.5 crore two-door AMG might be the perfect modern sports coupe for India.6 mins read
Girish Karkera | Feb 11, 2026Toyota Ebella EV Review: Compact And Fun-To-Drive With The Promise Of Stress-Free AftersalesNo hiding the fact that it is a clone of the Maruti Suzuki eVitara, but the first all-electric Toyota in India is reasonably well-rounded8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Feb 10, 2026Tata Punch EV Long Term Review: Small EV With A Big-Hearted PersonalityWith the new Punch EV Facelift just around the corner, we decided to take a look at what it excels at and what could be improved.7 mins read