Center removes apps linked to shutdown of e-rickshaws, asks app stores to tighten checks

The Indian government has decided to remove two mobile apps that were allegedly disrupting the functioning of e-rickshaws across the country. According to a new report by ANI, Minister for Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) S Krishnan said on Friday that the apps have already been pulled from app stores. He also said that app stores need to take more care to prevent these potentially harmful apps from reaching users.

“There are several apps that we noticed yesterday. Both were pulled from the app stores,” Krishnan said.

“The idea is that it’s a due diligence that app stores have to do, and we’ll discuss that with the app stores to see that there aren’t any potentially malicious apps,” he added.

Over the past few days, several e-rickshaw drivers have reportedly complained of sudden stops and disruptions allegedly triggered by these apps. The apps have reportedly been misused to prank or disrupt the functioning of e-rickshaws, raising safety concerns for both drivers and passengers.

Notably, e-rickshaws are a major part of the public transport system in most Indian cities where they are used for last-mile connectivity.

The e-rickshaw fiasco has also hit social media in recent days, with pranksters using the apps to post videos of vehicles shutting down in the middle of the road.

In one such viral video, a harried e-rickshaw driver complained of hours of gridlock and a lost opportunity to earn after miscreants disabled his vehicle using mobile apps. The driver who rented the vehicle said it was his only source of income to help him cover rental and household expenses.

International Cyber Security Law Commission Chairman Pawan Duggal told ANI, “Today, an e-rickshaw is not just an e-rickshaw, it is a computer system and therefore if it works in a digital format, it has some memory functions… It is clear to me that this is not a game, this is an offense under section 466 of the Information Technology Act 20 it is dishonest or fraudulent when people access the computer system of his e-rickshaw without consent or knowledge owner, and this is punishable by 3 years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹5 million…”