Maharashtra Halts New Auto-Rickshaw Permits Amid Traffic, Pollution Concerns

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has temporarily suspended the issuance of new auto-rickshaw permits, citing rising traffic congestion, pollution and environmental concerns. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Monday said the decision followed a review of the growing number of permits across the state. Official data shows that nearly 1.4 million auto-rickshaw permits have already been issued, adding pressure on urban roads and contributing to pollution in major cities.

The Transport Minister said that the issuance of new auto-rickshaw permits has been put on hold across the state from March 9, and the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) have been directed not to issue any new permits until further orders.

The transport department will now prepare a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the issue, which will be sent to the state cabinet for approval. “The state cabinet will decide the criteria for granting new permits. Apart from this, the cabinet will also decide the authority that will issue new permits,” Mr. Sarnaik said.

The minister said the SOP will be prepared within the next 15 to 20 days and then placed before the cabinet.

The decision by the transport department comes days after the Union government, on February 23, informed the Maharashtra government that the issue of auto-rickshaw permits would be addressed at the state level in accordance with local transport needs and traffic conditions.

In October 2025, Mr. Sarnaik had written to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways seeking its opinion on restricting the number of auto-rickshaw permits in 23 cities with populations exceeding five lakh.

According to the communication, the request followed a legal opinion from the state’s Law and Judiciary Department, which stated that while the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 does not empower the state to completely prohibit the issuance of permits, it allows the government to limit their number with the consent of the Central government under Section 74.

“The existing number of auto-rickshaw permit holders in these areas is sufficient to cater to the needs of citizens, and limiting the number of permits would benefit existing permit holders,” the letter stated.

Speaking to this newspaper, Mr. Sarnaik said several auto-rickshaw unions had approached him seeking protection for existing permit holders and urging the government not to issue new permits, as increasing numbers of vehicles were affecting their livelihoods. “Many existing auto-rickshaw drivers are struggling to pay the monthly installments on their vehicles,” he said.

Mr. Sarnaik also claimed that a police inquiry had revealed that some Bangladeshi nationals had fraudulently obtained auto-rickshaw permits. “We will certainly revoke their permits in the coming days,” he said.