Jan. 23: App cabs have competition coming their way on two wheels.

The state government has started accepting applications for an app-based bike-taxi service as part of a pilot project to be restricted to New Town-Rajarhat. The idea is to give anyone wanting a quick commute within a particular neighbourhood the convenience of hiring a bike-taxi through a mobile app.

The transport department has received two applications for the New Town-Rajarhat project and is awaiting proposals for other neighbourhoods of Calcutta, officials said. A few prospective operators are in discussion with the department for licences to offer app-based bike-taxi services like those in Goa and Gurgaon.

"As of now, motorbikes would be plying as taxis in the New Town area from next month. They can drop passengers outside the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) area, but within a radius of 5km from the township. This is subject to the condition that the passenger has been picked up from within the NKDA area," an official said.

Bike-taxi operators in New Town are required to have a fleet of at least 15 motorbikes and a contract carriage permit. Fares would be dictated by the market "with no government interference", the official said.

Like app-cab aggregators Uber and Ola, bike-taxi operators would be free to use the surge pricing method when demand is high.

Officials in the transport department said the plan was to allow bike-taxis to ply mainly in the lanes and bylanes of large neighbourhoods. On thoroughfares like the Bypass, commercial two-wheelers would be allowed to ply for a maximum of 500 metres. The restriction on bike-taxi traffic on thoroughfares is meant to ensure safety, but this could change depending on the demands of the market.

"We are still in the experimental stage and the rules are flexible," transport secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said.

So, can anyone who owns a two-wheeler become a bike-taxi operator? "Yes, the motorbike owner only has to obtain a contract carriage licence from the regional transport authority. The tax bracket and number plate would change, after which the vehicle can become part of a bike-taxi aggregator's fleet," an official said.

The other option is for an aggregator to own all the motorbikes in the fleet.

For a company to become a bike-taxi aggregator in Bengal, many of the guidelines are the same as those for app-cab aggregators. Bike-taxi operators are required to check the antecedents of anyone they choose to appoint as a driver or partner.

The ones that are specifically meant for bike-taxis are:

Service period will be between 8am and 8pm to begin with. Extension of this period will be considered by the regional transport authority based on necessity and the safety of passengers.

• Not more than one pillion rider is allowed.

• Carrying minors on a bike-taxi is barred.

• Drivers have to wear conspicuous light jackets lined with reflective colour and bearing the words "Bike-Taxi".

• Vinyl stickers on a white background must be pasted on both sides of the fuel tank. The words "Bike-Taxi" have to be painted prominently in blue on the stickers. Only reflective colours can be used. Additional plates with white as the base colour have to be fitted at the front and back of the motorbike.

• A passenger can carry only light luggage.

• Clean, crash helmets have to be provided to passengers.

The guidelines do not include a speed limit. Neither is there any mention of the types of two-wheelers that can be used as a bike-taxi. "The basic idea is to provide last-mile connectivity from the thoroughfares," transport secretary Bandyopadhyay said.