Maharashtra Imposes 5X Fine for Cancelled Taxi Rides
Drivers cancelling airport, railway station or hospital rides will face a fivefold penalty, with compensation credited directly to the passenger’s app wallet under Maharashtra’s new aggregator rules.
Maharashtra Imposes 5X Fine for Cancelled Taxi Rides
In a major relief for passengers, the Maharashtra Transport Department has introduced strict new regulations to curb arbitrary ride cancellations by app-based taxi drivers. Under the newly notified Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Aggregator Rules, 2026, drivers who cancel rides booked for airports, railway stations, and hospitals will now face a penalty five times higher than the standard cancellation fine.
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The move comes after repeated complaints from commuters about drivers accepting bookings and cancelling them at the last moment, often causing passengers to miss flights, trains, medical appointments, and other urgent commitments.
According to the new rules, if a driver fails to reach the pickup point within 10 minutes after the expected arrival time, the ride will automatically be treated as cancelled. In such cases, the driver will be fined 10% of the total fare or up to ₹100, while cancellations involving airport, railway station, and hospital trips will attract a penalty five times higher than the normal fine.
The Transport Department has also directed aggregator companies to ensure that the penalty amount is credited directly to the passenger’s app account, providing immediate compensation for the inconvenience caused.
To improve passenger safety and service quality, ride-hailing platforms will now be required to offer 24×7 customer support, grievance redressal systems, live location sharing, driver photographs, and services in Marathi, Hindi, and English through their mobile applications.
The rules further allow drivers to work with multiple aggregator platforms simultaneously. However, companies must ensure mandatory police verification, medical examinations, and psychological assessments of all registered drivers before allowing them to operate.
Additionally, if a vehicle suffers a mechanical breakdown during a trip, aggregator companies must provide a replacement vehicle within 30 minutes for municipal-area trips and within 60 minutes for intercity journeys exceeding 100 kilometres, ensuring passengers can complete their travel without unnecessary delays.
The new regulations are expected to significantly improve accountability among app-based taxi operators while enhancing passenger safety, convenience, and service reliability across Maharashtra.
