Bike taxi drivers in Bengaluru plead for relief as Karnataka ban begins

Workers urge lawmakers to regulate rather than shut down the sector as Karnataka's High Court decision enforces ban, hitting gig workers dependent on the service

Roughly 70 bike taxi drivers affiliated with the Namma Bike Taxi Association gathered on Monday to petition Basavanagudi MLA Ravi Subramanya, seeking urgent relief in the wake of a regulatory crackdown that threatens their livelihoods.

 

The appeal follows a recent decision by the Karnataka High Court, which declined to extend legal protection to bike taxi services, effectively enabling the state government’s ban to take full effect.

 

The drivers, who operate on platforms such as Ola, Uber and Rapido, framed the meeting as an effort to stay afloat. The ban, they say, has left them without viable income and with little clarity on their future in the state’s urban mobility ecosystem.

   

The drivers’ permissions to operate bike taxis expired at midnight on 15 June, leaving them vulnerable to penalties starting today. As per reports, over 100 challans were issued, with bike taxi drivers being mistreated by auto union drivers. 

 

The drivers, many of whom are daily-wage earners, delivery agents and students, shared how the sudden ban has pushed them into financial distress. “This isn’t side income — this is how we pay our rent and school fees,” said one driver. With over 100,000 gig workers affected in Karnataka, they urged the MLA to press the state government to explore regulated operations instead of a total shutdown. Riders too, they emphasised, are left stranded — particularly in underserved areas where bike taxis were the only affordable commute option.

 

The drivers demanded clear rules on licensing, insurance and safety, rather than being criminalised overnight. “We’re part of the same informal economy that Karnataka claims to support. Why are we being shut out without a conversation?” asked Mohammed Salim, President of the Namma Bike Taxi Association.

 

Yesterday, the association sent formal letters to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah; Labour Minister Santosh Lad; and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi, urging them to step in before more gig workers lose their only means of survival. With today’s outreach to Subramanya, the drivers hope their voices will finally be heard.