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5d ago

Karnataka Bike Taxi Ban Persists as Drivers Demand Regulatory Framework

Riders have escalated their campaign after meeting state ministers in response to a regulatory vacuum over bike taxi operations

Bike taxis were banned in Karnataka on June 16. (HT ARCHIVES/Photo for representation)
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Overview

  • A Karnataka High Court order on April 2 mandated bike taxi aggregators to halt services by June 16 due to missing state regulations, and the ban took effect as scheduled.
  • On June 19, 110 members of the Namma Bike Taxi Association met Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and MLA S Muniraju to press for reversal of the ban and establishment of clear rules.
  • More than 100,000 gig workers lost their primary income source and many have turned to food delivery platforms amid the suspension of bike taxi services.
  • Bengaluru commuters face up to 30-minute waits for autorickshaws and daily transport costs soaring to ₹500 as affordable bike taxis disappear.
  • Despite the Central Government’s 2020 Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines and a 2021 Electric Bike Taxi Policy that was later repealed, Karnataka has not enacted its own framework, keeping the sector in limbo.