Bengaluru bike taxi riders protest outside Vidhana Soudha to lift the ban, detained

Bike taxi riders protested outside Vidhana Soudha against the suspension of services in Karnataka, demanding a regulatory framework.

Tension unfolded outside Vidhana Soudha on Saturday as a group of bike taxi riders staged a protest against the ongoing suspension of bike taxi operations in Karnataka. The protest, held without prior permission, led to the detention of several riders by city police.

The bike-taxis in Bengaluru were banned due to non-availability of legal frame work.

The demonstrators gathered to press the state government for urgent intervention, demanding the revocation of the blanket ban and the introduction of a clear regulatory framework that would allow bike taxis to legally operate in the state. According to police, the riders were swiftly dispersed and taken into custody after assembling outside the state legislature building.

A police case has been registered against the protestors for violating public assembly norms and attempting to hold a demonstration in front of Vidhana Soudha without official clearance.

The protesting riders stressed that bike taxis are a lifeline for thousands, not only providing affordable transportation but also sustaining livelihoods across the city and beyond. They argued that, instead of banning the service altogether, the government should establish a well-defined set of rules to ensure both safety and accountability for operators and commuters alike.

The protest comes in the backdrop of a recent decision by the Karnataka High Court, which upheld an earlier order suspending bike taxi services across the state.

On April 2, a single-judge bench had ruled that bike taxis could not operate unless the state government framed specific guidelines under the Motor Vehicles Act. The order gave companies six weeks to comply, with the deadline later extended to June 15.

Subsequently, Uber, Ola, and Rapido, the major app-based mobility companies, approached the court seeking relief. However, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar declined to grant any stay on the earlier directive, effectively reinforcing the suspension. 

(With agency inputs)