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Airtel dials strongly into Gujarat
MUMBAI: It’s taking the battle into what is considered Reliance’s home turf (and possibly Jio’s too): Gujarat. Bharti Airtel has launched an ad campaign wherein it is touting its improved coverage in the western Indian state.
It features Gujarati folk singer Aditya Gadhvi – known for his hit Khalasi from Coke Studio Bharat. The ad -in Gujarati – begins with Gadhvi shooting in a desert like area for an Airtel commercial with a filming crew in which the dialogue has him saying Airtel has been adding the equivalent of eight towers a day in Gujarat. He pooh-poohs the statement; he is challenged by one of the crew members and he chooses to do a speed test. Which he does and to his bewilderment it runs up to 226 Mbps. The TVC ends with Gadhvi singing the praises of Airtel’s 5G Plus service.
Bharti Airtel today issued a press release to the Bombay stock exchange wherein it announced that the ad campaign follows its expansion drive which saw it installing more than 1,700 new cellular towers in Gujarat over the past seven months – which tots up to about eight every day.
Through this initiative, the company, says it intends to expand its coverage to 7,000 villages across the state, impacting over five million people. The Airtel network will now provide connectivity in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas, including highways, tourist destinations, and trade centers, ensuring comprehensive coverage in the region, the release points out.
Earlier in November 2023, Bharti had issued another release wherein it had stated that “within the first year of the launch of Airtel 5G Plus, it has over 2.2 million unique 5G customers in Gujarat. Airtel 5G Plus service is available across all the districts in the state.”
In June 2024, it had made another release stating that it had installed 2,525 new towers in Gujarat between December 2022 and March 2024, with each city witnessing a considerable surge in infrastructure development. Among the major cities, Ahmedabad, then led with 273 new towers, followed by Surat with 266 towers and Vadodara with 225 towers.
Bharti Airtel has since then been working on strengthening its coverage in the remote parts of Gujarat. And the latest network growth push and ad campaign is only a follow up of its intention to capture more customers in the western Indian state.
The key question now is: how will Reliance Jio react to Airtel’s aggression in its home state Gujarat?
One can’t forget the Ranbir Kapoor-featuring TVC promoting Jio AirFibre with the tagline being JioFibre zindagi mein aaye toh baat ban jaaye during the IPL a few months ago. But that was a national campaign and in Hindi.
Will Reliance Jio go Gujarati as well?
Let’s wait and watch if it will dial in too!
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Maharashtra revokes Ola, Uber, Rapido bike taxi licences
Temporary e-bike taxi permits cancelled as firms fail to meet state rules
MUMBAI: Maharashtra’s roads are set to see fewer zipping two-wheelers after the state government pulled the plug on provisional licences granted to bike taxi giants Ola, Uber and Rapido. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced in the Legislative Council on Monday that temporary permissions would be revoked.
“These companies were given permission for just a month and were required to submit certain documents. Since they have not complied, their temporary licences are cancelled. This is to ensure illegal bikes do not operate on our roads,” Sarnaik said.
The move follows the Maharashtra E Bike Taxi Rules 2024, designed to generate employment for local youth and offer commuters a cheaper, greener ride option. The rules, approved in August 2024, allow electric bike taxis in cities with over one lakh residents.
Under the policy, only electric vehicles can ply as taxis, and operators had 30 days to fulfil licensing and compliance requirements. Yet, officials claim many continued operations without meeting these conditions. Sarnaik added that a large number of bike taxis currently running in Mumbai and the wider Mumbai Metropolitan Region are illegal.
In a firm enforcement twist, the government has instructed authorities to focus on vehicle owners rather than riders when registering cases. Safety concerns, particularly for women passengers, and accident complaints have also been flagged by the transport department.
Since April 2024, Regional Transport Offices have taken action against 130 non-compliant bike taxis, collecting fines exceeding Rs 33 lakh. Authorities say further measures will follow to ensure services adhere to regulations before returning to city streets.
Maharashtra’s bike taxi saga has been a rollercoaster. Initially banned in January 2023 due to concerns over private vehicles ferrying passengers, the sector was later formalised through an electric bike framework in 2024. Provisional licences were granted in 2025, but the government now warns that any bike taxi operating on city roads without proper permits will be considered illegal.
Adding to the transport shake-up, the government has also halted the issuance of new auto rickshaw permits from March 9 to ease urban traffic pressures and safeguard livelihoods of existing drivers. A fresh standard operating procedure for future permits is set to go before the state cabinet soon.
Maharashtra commuters may have to find alternative rides as the state reins in its two-wheeled taxi revolution, leaving app-based bikers in a legal limbo.
