103 cases booked against bike taxis; some aggregators continue to operate

A commuters using the bike taxi service in Bengaluru on Monday, 16 June.

| Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN

The Transport Department booked 103 cases against bike taxis and seized as many vehicles in Bengaluru on Monday as the services were expected to cease their operations from June 16 in the absence of any order from the High Court of Karnataka allowing them to operate.A single judge of the High Court of Karnataka in April has said that transport technology aggregators like Ola, Uber and Rapido cannot operate bike-taxis unless the State government framed guidelines, while giving time till June 15 to the aggregators to cease operation of their bike-taxis.Though aggregators challenged this order before a division bench, it decided to hear their appeals on June 24 stating that it cannot pass any interim order, as the government has said that it has taken a policy decision not to frame guidelines/rule to allow bike-taxis on aggregator platform.As June 15 deadline has expired and appeal is pending for adjudication, the service of bike-taxis cannot be offered through aggregator platforms unless a regulatory framework is introduced or the division bench passes any order in favour of the aggregators based in the outcome of their appeals.“The time given by the High Court to cease operations of bike taxi services is over and the Transport Department will take action against the violators. The government’s stand is that these services are illegal and hence, should not be operated,” said Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy talking to The Hindu.The cases on Monday were booked across 11 regional transport offices (RTO) limits and the highest number of cases (16) were booked in the West Zone.Operations continueDespite the government’s stand, on Monday morning, a few aggregators continued to operate bike taxis and commuters used the services in Bengaluru. On some apps, the name of the service was changed to courier or parcel instead of rides.The aggregator, Rapido, put up a message on its app which said: “Starting June 16, 2025, our Bike Taxi services in Karnataka will be paused in compliance with recent High Court orders.” It also said, “We are navigating the way forward with the government to bring your favourite bike taxis back on the road soon.”A spokesperson from Uber also said, “Uber has taken the difficult decision to suspend bike taxi operations in Karnataka from June 16 following an order from the High Court. This will negatively impact the many thousands of riders who rely on bike taxis for their daily mobility needs, as well as the many thousands of drivers who rely on the service for their livelihood. We will continue engaging with the Government of Karnataka to help shape a progressive policy framework that enables safe, accessible, and affordable mobility options for everyone.”Meanwhile, commuters lamented the shutting down of an affordable transport service. “The government first banned car-pooling apps and now bike taxis. I am heavily dependent on these taxis for last-mile connectivity from my house in Malleshwaram to the metro station. Today, I booked a bike taxi on one of the apps and the wait time was 18 minutes. I would usually get it in less than five minutes. The cost of bike taxis is almost 50% less than that of autorickshaws,” said Shriya Kumari, a postgraduate student.Riders write to Siddaramaiah, Rahul GandhiNamma Bike Taxi Association, a representation of bike taxi riders in Bengaluru, wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi requesting them for a sustainable solution instead of an overnight ban.“Over 1,00,000 gig workers in Bengaluru and across Karnataka are losing our right to earn and feed our families because of a blanket ban on bike taxi services. As their collective voice, this is an appeal to you to stop this ban and help us earn our daily bread with dignity. We, bike taxi drivers, are students, daily-wage earners, helpers, parents — many of us turned to this work when other jobs were not available, especially after COVID. Some of us work all 7 days, covering 10 to 12 hours a day, just to feed our families. We ride in the hot sun, heavy rain, and traffic to keep the city moving. This is how we pay rent, school fees, and medical bills. Bike taxis are not a side income. They are how we survive,” Mohammed Salim, the president of the association said in the letter. Published - June 16, 2025 12:53 pm IST