Bike taxi ban in Karnataka: Rapido claims it ‘paused’ services; Ola, Uber still offering rides | Bengaluru News
BENGALURU: Following the Karnataka High Court’s refusal to stay an earlier order directing bike taxi aggregators to halt operations, the ban on bike taxi services came into effect on Monday.Ride-hailing platform Rapido claims it ‘paused ‘ its bike taxi services and replaced the option with a new service labelled ‘Bike Parcel’.In an update on bike services, the company stated: “Starting June 16, 2025, our bike taxi services in Karnataka will be paused in compliance with recent High Court orders. While we deeply believe in the value bike taxis bring to daily commuters, we respect the law and will fully abide by the directive. We remain committed to the communities we serve and are hopeful for a future where convenient, affordable mobility is accessible to all. We are navigating the way forward with the government to bring your favourite bike taxis back on the road soon.”Other major bike taxi service providers in Bengaluru, Uber and Ola, continued offering bike taxi service options on their apps as of Monday morning. On Sunday, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy warned that the state govt would take strict action against aggregators failing to comply with the High Court’s order to cease bike taxi operations effective June 16.The Transport Department has consistently maintained that using two-wheelers registered for private use for commercial purposes such as bike taxi services is illegal under existing regulations. There is mounting demand by the industry body and users for policy that would regulate operations of bike taxis in the state. Commuters argue that bike taxis offer an affordable, flexible, and efficient mode of transport, particularly for first and last-mile connectivity, and that an outright ban deprives them of a much-needed mobility option in the city.
