Bengaluru: 

The court declined to intervene, effectively giving the green light to the Transport Department’s decision to outlaw these services. Authorities had previously issued notices to operators, arguing that the use of privately registered two-wheelers for commercial transport breaches existing motor vehicle laws.

App-based bike taxi services will be barred from operating across Bengaluru and Karnataka starting June 16, following a Karnataka High Court ruling that backed a state government order prohibiting such operations. The move comes in the wake of a legal petition filed by Rapido, a leading bike taxi platform, which had sought interim relief against the government’s directive.

According to current rules, only vehicles with commercial registration and valid permits are allowed to carry paying passengers, requirements that most bike taxi services have failed to meet.

Significant blow to thousands of daily commuters

Platforms such as Rapido and Uber Moto had gained immense popularity among office workers, students and low-income commuters seeking a practical alternative to conventional public transport.

The impending ban deals a significant blow to thousands of daily commuters who had come to rely on these services for quick and affordable travel, particularly in traffic-heavy urban areas like Bengaluru.

Halt operations or face legal consequences

With the court’s ruling now in place, all app-based bike taxi services must halt operations across the state from June 16 or face legal consequences. While the state government has remained firm on enforcing existing transport regulations, it has not yet indicated whether it will consider introducing a regulatory framework to accommodate these services in the future.

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