Commuters feel pinch as bike-taxi firms halt ops after Karnataka HC order

Not just the customers, bike-taxi drivers are also left stranded as many depended on the service for their livelihood

Commuters across Karnataka are feeling the pinch as the state high court issued a directive to halt bike-taxi services, leaving thousands of daily users scrambling for affordable and quick transport alternatives. Following the directive, major ride-hailing platforms, including Ola, Uber, and Rapido, have suspended bike-taxi operations from June 16.

 

Shalini Kapat, a social media executive working at a private firm in Bengaluru, said bike taxis were efficient in navigating traffic and the time required for travelling was less. “Bike taxis cut down drastically on the time required to book and commute within Bengaluru. Booking is faster as compared to booking an auto or a cab as most drivers are within the user’s vicinity. With the ban, our commute costs and travel time will shoot up again since public transport is not convenient. However, some bike taxis were very unsafe for a ride,” Kapat said.

 

Peter Varghese, another user who lives in Hyderabad but visits Bengaluru regularly for his video-editing work, said the suspension of bike taxis would increase his financial burden. "Local autos quote an exorbitant price. It takes a longer time to confirm a ride with cabs across ride aggregators. I visit Bengaluru for a couple of days every month and the cab booking experience is very tiring. Since the ban is now in place, it would be better to rent a bike and travel in the city saving up costs, and time,” he said. 

 

It's not just the customers feeling the pinch, bike-taxi drivers are also left stranded as many depended on the service for their livelihood.

 

“Many fear confiscation of their bikes if they continue to operate in the city. For a majority, this is their bread and butter, and for others operating a bike taxi on one of these aggregator apps guarantees secondary income,” a local bike-taxi driver said.

 

Meanwhile, mobility apps Uber and Rapido introduced bike parcel services “Moto Parcel” and “Bike Parcel”, respectively. “We may try to see if we can pick up and drop off passengers using the courier or parcel feature. However, since the cops would aggressively crack down on our services, we will think before proceeding," the driver quoted above said.

 

Responding to queries sent by Business Standard, Rapido said, "We acknowledge the Karnataka high court directive with regard to bike-taxi regulation in the state starting June 16, 2025. Even though we are not the initiating party in the ongoing case, we have remained engaged throughout as a responsible stakeholder in the state’s transportation ecosystem.”

 

Rapido said it's a challenging moment for its captains as the service is the primary source of income for many of them. “They (bike captains) have been instrumental in delivering affordable, last-mile mobility to millions of commuters across Karnataka,” the company said. 

 

“We are actively pursuing all avenues to support our captains. Rapido remains hopeful that our continued engagement with the government will pave the way for a viable framework for bike taxis and the millions of gig workers who depend on them — just as it has in several other states and Union Territories. Until then, we urge our captains and users to stand with us as we continue our constructive dialogue with the authorities in the best interest of all stakeholders,” Rapido added.

 

Similar to Rapido, an Uber spokesperson said the company has halted its bike-taxi booking service but will continue engaging with the authorities. "Uber has taken the difficult decision to suspend bike-taxi operations in Karnataka from June 16 following an order from the Hon’ble 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 depend on the service for their livelihood," the spokesperson said.

 

While Rapido and Uber have suspended operations, Ola declined to comment. However, company sources said that they had removed the bike category for now and were in talks with government officials to sort out the issue.

 

Shaik Salauddin, national general secretary of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFATW) and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU), and Inayath Ali, president of the Karnataka App-Based Workers’ Union (KAWU), have welcomed the high court’s decision, declining a stay on the single-judge order that held bike taxis cannot operate in the state unless relevant rules are framed.

 

Shaik Salauddin stated: “We appreciate the Karnataka High Court’s order. It underscores the necessity for a clear legal framework for bike taxis and highlights the ongoing violation of regulations by companies like Ola, Uber, and Rapido. These companies have been cheating workers by ignoring the rules and putting their livelihoods at risk.”

 

Ali added: “We welcome this order as it protects the livelihoods of cab and auto drivers, who lose their income due to unfair competition. If bike taxis are allowed in future, they should be permitted only with yellow number plate (commercial vehicle) registration and proper oversight by the authorities.”