Bike taxi ban in Karnataka

 Bangalore, June 16, 2025: 

Following the implementation of a High Court order, Karnataka's bike taxi services were abruptly shut down on Monday. Rapido, one of the biggest companies in the industry, confirmed that it has halted all bike taxi operations throughout the state in accordance with the court order. 

It was previously declared unlawful to use privately registered two-wheelers for commercial transportation services when the Karnataka High Court declined to temporarily halt the government's ban. In the past, the state government has sent notices to aggregators such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido, stating that using whiteboard bikes to transport passengers is against the Motor Vehicles Act. "If you don't comply, we'll take enforcement action," said Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy. We are following the law. "In accordance with recent High Court orders, our bike taxi services in Karnataka will be paused starting June 16, 2025," Rapido responded in a statement. Since then, the app has eliminated its bike ride feature and replaced it with a "bike parcel" service. 

The business also stated that it hopes to soon resume operations and is currently in discussions with the government to determine a course of action. Users complained that the Ola and Uber apps still displayed bike taxi options in spite of the ban. 

Transport officials warned that any infractions would be strictly enforced and stated that they were examining the situation. According to reports, more than 100 vehicles used for illegal bike taxi services were seized by Bengaluru traffic police and transport officers on the first day of enforcement. Many gig economy workers rely on bike taxi platforms for their daily income, so the move has raised concerns. The ban may have an impact on over six lakh gig workers in the state, according to estimates. 

The Namma Bike Taxi Association has urged Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to step in, saying the ruling puts jobs and affordable urban mobility. Although the government has been ordered by the High Court to create a formal policy governing the operation of bike taxis, no such guidelines have been announced as of yet. 

Both commuters and service providers are left in a state of uncertainty due to the lack of clear regulations. In the upcoming weeks, the government is anticipated to make its position clear as pressure increases.