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Sulekha partners Truecaller to ensure ‘zero spam’
MUMBAI: Sulekha, one of India’s largest digital platform for local service need fulfilment, has partnered with Truecaller, one of the leading communication apps in the world, to reinforce its ‘Zero-Spam Assurance.’ With the Truecaller app, Sulekha’s users will be able to identify calls from service partners during their search for a variety of local services.
The “Truecaller priority access” technology labels all calls from Sulekha’s service partners as ‘Sulekha Service Partner’ on the user’s mobile screen. Besides, a new user on the Sulekha platform can now login with a single step using their Truecaller registered mobile number.
In November 2016, Sulekha announced the launch of its “Zero-Spam Assurance” campaign. Connecting service providers with customers forms the backbone of the local services fulfillment business. But this can also lead to a lot of spam calls. In a country where data selling is highly prevalent, users keep getting unnecessary calls long after their need is fulfilled.
In a pioneering effort in the Local Services industry, Sulekha introduced a tech feature- the UVN (Unique Virtual Number), where personally identifiable details of a user aren’t shared with a service partner till the user talks to them. As soon as a user’s need is fulfilled, he/she has the freedom to uncouple his/her number from the service request. This will make the user number inactive on the Sulekha platform, and therefore, no service provider will be able to reach the user post this. The “Truecaller priority access” feature will further strengthen Sulekha’s Anti-Spam strategy.
Sulekha head of marketing Soumendu Ganguly said, “With over 20 million users a month, customer privacy has been one of our foremost priorities. Besides ensuring that calls from service partners are recognized by customers, the “Truecaller priority access” feature will also equip customers with the choice to filter them. Our “Zero-Spam Assurance” initiative has resulted in a boost in customer satisfaction and better understanding of customer behaviour. The Truecaller partnership features will take us significantly further in this process. We will continue to innovate in this field as our users expect nothing short of the best from Sulekha.”
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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.
