Karnataka Stands Firm on Bike Taxi Ban, No Plans for Review

According to reports, the Karnataka state government has no intention of revising its March 2024 ruling banning bike taxi activities, despite the state's imminent prohibition on the service.

The Karnataka High Court has extended the deadline for stopping bike taxi services till June 15; however, the prohibition is expected to have a significant impact on millions of commuters, lakhs of bike taxi drivers, and aggregators like Ola, Uber, and Rapido.

The HC granted the extension after the three had already filed a case contesting the Karnataka state government's decision. Not to mention, the HC gave these bike platforms six weeks to cease operations in the state in its April 2 ruling, citing the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988's lack of a legal framework.

According to a media report, the government is reluctant to reevaluate the prohibition because, in contrast to cars and taxis, bike taxis are mostly used for private purposes and do not pay ongoing taxes.

Although there is only a one-time lifetime tax applied when buying a bike, around 1.7 lakh cars travel Bengaluru's roads and are subject to periodic taxes. Similar tax laws also apply to taxis.

Change in the Tax System of Commercial Vehicle

The tax structure pertaining to commercial vehicles, such as cars and taxis, has recently changed. As of May 2025, the majority of commercial vehicles are now subject to a lifetime tax scheme, whereas cars and taxis previously paid quarterly taxes.

Ramalinga Reddy, the transport minister for Karnataka, has ordered the transport department to implement the High Court's decision to halt bike taxi activities in a similar manner. It is anticipated that commuters will pay more if there are no bike taxis available.

To make matters worse, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) raised metro fares by about 50% earlier this year, and state-run bus fares have already climbed by 15%. Between 75,000 and 1 lakh bike taxi users in Bengaluru are thought to be connected to several ride-hailing services.

Rapido said at the previous HC hearing that the livelihoods of about 6 lakh bike taxi drivers connected to the platform would be impacted by the court's prior order. This measure clearly benefits cab service providers and autorickshaw operators. Karnataka has been experiencing continuous turmoil due to the purportedly unlawful activities of bike taxis.

The transport department launched a specific enforcement campaign against these services in response to protests spearheaded by unions representing drivers and autorickshaws.

Demand of Regulatory Framework for Bike Taxis

Growing worries about women's safety are the reason behind the call for an appropriate regulatory framework for bike taxis. Additionally, Karnataka was compelled to discontinue its e-bike program, which was started in 2021 to enhance first- and last-mile connectivity from train, bus, and metro stations.

Following union-led protests over alleged scheme misuse, the action was taken. Simultaneously, unions representing bike taxis have demonstrated opposition to specific state initiatives. In the past few years, there have been multiple incidents of physical confrontations between car drivers and bikers, and numerous films of abuse of bike taxi drivers have gone viral.

Citing allegations of conflicts between car drivers and bike taxi operators in the city, the Bike Taxi Welfare Association filed a case in the High Court. The High Court ordered the state government to preserve bike taxi activities in Karnataka in response to this appeal.