Bengaluru traffic worsens by 18% within a week of bike taxi ban: Report

On the day the ban kicked in, congestion in Bengaluru surged to 77 per cent, compared to the usual 59 per cent.

Traffic congestion in Bengaluru has spiked sharply, by as much as 18 percentage points, just a week after the Karnataka government enforced a statewide ban on bike taxis, Moneycontrol reported.

At 7 pm, one of the Bengaluru’s busiest slots, traffic consistently exceeded typical levels.(PTI)

The move, which came into effect on June 16, has prompted mounting concerns among daily commuters and gig economy workers alike.

Data from TomTom, a Netherlands-based location technology firm, reveals a clear rise in congestion during peak hours. At 7 pm, one of the city’s busiest slots, traffic consistently exceeded typical levels. On the day the ban kicked in, congestion surged to 77 per cent, compared to the usual 59 per cent. Two days later, on June 18, congestion levels peaked at 83 per cent, up from the average 61 per cent, a staggering 22-point jump, the report added.

The bike taxi ban, aimed at curbing illegal and unregulated operations, has had unintended consequences. Thousands of officegoers, who previously depended on these cost-effective and nimble two-wheeler rides, are now forced to switch to personal vehicles or autos, adding further strain to an already overburdened road network.

To make matters worse, auto rickshaw drivers have reportedly taken advantage of the situation by hiking fares and refusing rides more frequently, especially during peak hours. This, in turn, has led to public frustration over affordability and accessibility.

Bike taxi riders urge govt to reverse crackdown

The ban has also sparked protests from gig workers, many of whom operated as bike taxi drivers for app-based platforms. With their primary source of income abruptly cut off, drivers have demanded that the state reconsider the ban or provide viable alternatives.

Over a hundred bike taxi riders under the banner of the Namma Bike Taxi Association met Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Dasarahalli MLA S. Muniraju on Thursday, urging the state to reconsider its crackdown on bike taxi services.

The group of 110 riders, representing tens of thousands across Karnataka, submitted a formal petition calling for the legalization of bike taxis and a clear, consistent regulatory framework to prevent continued harassment and ambiguity on the ground.

Their plea follows a string of unanswered open letters to top leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and MP Rahul Gandhi. Riders say the silence is especially frustrating given the recent passage of the Gig Workers’ Welfare Bill by the same government, an initiative seen as progressive, even as enforcement actions have now stripped thousands of flexible-income earners of their livelihoods.

The association has warned that without immediate intervention, both livelihoods and affordable last-mile mobility in urban Karnataka could suffer a severe blow.

(With PTI inputs)