The order raises a pertinent question: Was the government unaware that the bike taxi services were operating in the state without any regulations?
Published Apr 08, 2025 | 3:00 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 10, 2025 | 8:59 AM
Karnataka’s bike taxi operators ordered off the roads
Synopsis: Riders and commuters are worried over the high court order banning bike taxis in Karnataka. They feel the government should regulate bike taxis instead of banning them.
When bike taxi services hit the Indian roads, people, especially in cities like Bengaluru, welcomed them they provided quicker commutes in heavy traffic.
However, the High Court of Karnataka has now asked Ola, Uber, Rapido, and other online aggregators to stop their bike services within six weeks.
The 2 April order came as a major setback to these online aggregators. Justice BM Shyam Prasad quashed the petitions of the online aggregators and ruled that bike taxi operators cannot operate in the state until the government notifies relevant guidelines under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988.
According to the order, the Transport Department cannot be directed to register motorcycles as transport vehicles or issue contract carriage permits until appropriate government regulations are in place.
The order raises a pertinent question: Was the government unaware that the bike taxi services were operating in the state without any regulations?
“The bike taxi services case has been in the court since 2016. I became the transport minister in 2023. Tell me what can the government do if the case is in court. We cannot proceed to frame regulations,” Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said.
However, the minister is not sure if the government can frame rules in six weeks. “The court has ordered them to stop the services. We have not received a copy of the order. Once our legal team receives it and goes through the copy, we will discuss this issue and arrive at a decision,” he said.
Khemraj Joshi, a full-time bike taxi driver works from 7 am to 10 pm. “My friends and I did not even know that the high court had directed us to stop the service within six weeks. Even our aggregators have not communicated it to us over the message or any form. This is news to us and we don’t know what to do after six weeks. I have been into bike taxi services for more than a year now,” he said.
Joshi is worried that he has to search for a new job now. “I earn around ₹1,800 per day and after the deduction of ₹300 for fuel, I have ₹1,500 in my hand. If we have subscriptions for the platform, then the platform fee does not get deducted. In case we don’t have a subscription then around ₹12 gets deducted for every ride. Besides, there is a reduction in GST and taxes which is sometimes ₹5 to ₹8, respectively. In total, I could easily earn somewhere around ₹25,000 to ₹28,000 a month,” he added.
Bharat Raju, another bike taxi operator, uses Ola, Uber, and Rapido apps. “I know about the court order. Yesterday and even today, the police stopped me asking if there was an order to stop the services. But operating bike taxis is easier than buying a new auto which costs ₹3,50,000 and cars are somewhere around ₹8 lakh. Also, it’s easier to maintain bikes,” he said.
“The biggest problem among unorganised workers is we don’t have a bike taxi services association where we can go and approach the chief minister. Until last October, I was working with a call centre, I lost my job as the company shut down. After that, I took up a bike taxi service operating part-time to meet my expenses. Gradually, I started doing it full-time so that I could provide for my family. In case of shutting down services, I have to start looking for a new job,” he expressed his concern.
Sagar N, another bike taxi operator, said, “This is my part-time job because I go to a private factory where I work for the production sector. I earn ₹18,000 per month but that is not sufficient to meet the household expenses. Therefore, I operate the bike taxi for six hours and I get ₹600. After deducting the fuel expenses, I will have ₹400 daily,” he said.
Several people use bike taxi services. They opined that the government should regulate them instead of banning the service.
Mohammad Ayub, who resides near HAL Airport, said, “I rely on Rapido two-wheelers for going to the Indiranagar Metro Station. The ride is stress-free and cheaper when compared to other modes. So far, I have not faced any problems. Now, if it’s shut, then I will have to take autos and they will fleece me. It’s better to put some rules for bike taxis in place rather than banning them.”
Deepika S, a student living near the Kengeri metro station also felt that the government must regulate them rather than banning these services. “It is easier for me to travel anytime to a private library in Chandra Layout. Regulations will ensure the safety of passengers, especially women,” she said.
Sameer Shaik of RT Nagar is a working professional. He has been using bike taxis for a long time now.
“I have heard and read women complaining about the harassment by these bike taxi drivers. Their numbers are misused. These regulations will ensure their safety and also hold drivers responsible in case of accidents and other issues. But a ban on them is not going to help people. It is only going to increase the expenses of lower-income and middle-income people. We will be compelled to use auto because buses are normally crowded and the metro is not available in areas like RT Nagar, Hebbal, and others,” he said.
(Edited by Majnu Babu.)
