Bengaluru's bike taxi riders in a fix over ban, urge Karnataka govt to reverse crackdown

After Karnataka's bike taxi ban, riders called for a reversal, seeking legal recognition and regulation.

Updated on: Jun 20, 2025, 13:54:07 IST

By Yamini C S, Bengaluru

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Days after the bike taxi ban in Karnataka, over a hundred bike taxi riders affiliated with the Namma Bike Taxi Association on Thursday convened with Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Dasarahalli MLA S Muniraju, calling for a reversal of the decision, news agency ANI reported.

Bike taxis were banned in Karnataka on June 16. (HT ARCHIVES/Photo for representation) (HT_PRINT)

Acting on behalf of thousands of drivers state-wide, the association submitted a formal appeal seeking lawful recognition for bike taxis and the introduction of a structured regulatory framework to eliminate confusion and harassment.

This meeting comes after several ignored communications to key political leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and MP Rahul Gandhi, the report stated. The Congress government in Karnataka came under fire for its silence particularly due to its recent passage of the Gig Worker Welfare Bill, a legislation meant to protect workers in flexible job markets.

“My phone won't stop ringing - 250 to 300 drivers call me every day, asking for help. And I don't know what to tell them. Should we lose our livelihoods because the government has no policy for bike taxis? We don't want chaos. We need regulation, not a ban,” Mohammed Salim, President, Namma Bike Taxi Association, said, as quoted by ANI.

Bike taxi drivers said there are rising tensions with auto-rickshaw unions, while commuters also expressed frustration over a spike in Bengaluru's traffic as well as auto rickshaw and taxi fares after the crackdown on bike taxis.

ALSO READ | Bengaluru traffic ‘5X worse’ after bike taxi ban? Residents complain of choking roads

The Central Government’s Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines of 2020 classify bike taxis as legitimate under Section 2(7), but Karnataka has yet to enact corresponding state regulations. Although an Electric Bike Taxi Policy was introduced in 2021, it was quietly repealed in 2024 without explanation, leaving both service providers and users in a regulatory vacuum.

(With inputs from ANI)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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