Bengaluru bike taxi riders use WhatsApp to dodge ban, contact commuters directly: Report

Many of these riders are using contact details saved from past trips or digital payment records to reconnect with their old customers.

With bike taxi services officially banned in Karnataka, riders in Bengaluru are finding new ways to stay on the road, by bypassing aggregator apps and reaching out to commuters directly through WhatsApp, The New Indian Express reported.

App-based bike taxi services were suspended across Karnataka on June 16.

According to the report, several regular users, especially those commuting between Metro stations, tech parks, and office hubs, say they are now getting personal messages from riders offering pickups at the same fares as earlier.

Many of these riders are using contact details saved from past trips or digital payment records to reconnect with their old customers.

According to a New Indian Express report, riders are also using parcel bookings as an informal workaround to connect with potential passengers. Commuters said that when they try to book a delivery through an app, riders often call to ask if a person is traveling instead.

In some cases, riders reportedly encourage customers to book a parcel and then cancel the shipment, suggesting they coordinate a direct ride instead, the report added.

Frequent riders are also encouraging commuters to save their contact information for future rides, particularly on familiar, short-distance routes between PGs, Metro stations, and offices.

Growing demand in Bengaluru east

This informal network is reportedly growing across areas like Koramangala, Electronic City, Bellandur, Silk Board, and Outer Ring Road, where last-mile connectivity remains in high demand, TNIE further reported.

While many commuters acknowledged that these informal ride arrangements fall outside legal boundaries, they also expressed frustration with alternatives. Several reported autorickshaws charging ₹120– ₹150 for trips under 2 km.

After the Karnataka government’s controversial bike taxi ban, many commuters have taken to social media to express frustration over auto drivers rejecting app-based rides unless paid extra or tipped.

App-based bike taxi services were suspended across Karnataka on June 16 after the Karnataka High Court refused to stay an earlier order suspending such operations unless the state government notifies relevant guidelines under the Motor Vehicles Act.