If navigating traffic was your biggest nightmare, then it just got worse. The Karnataka High Court has ordered bike taxi services in the state to shut down operations within six weeks.
In a huge setback for aggregators like Rapido, Ola and Uber, the court has ruled that no bike taxis can run unless the government frames proper guidelines under Section 3 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Till then, the Karnataka Transport Department has been mandated to ensure a complete halt to these services.
In the ruling, Justice BM Shyam Prasad said the Transport Department cannot be forced to recognise motorcycles as transport vehicles or grant permits without clear regulations in place.
Huge blow for Rapido
The ruling comes as a massive blow for Rapido as the company had been operating under interim protection since 2022. However, that safeguard is now gone. According to media reports, the Karnataka-born aggregator said the platform supports lakhs of bike-taxi riders and is now exploring legal options to challenge this verdict.
Voicing his concerns about the taxi drivers collaborating with the company, a Rapido spokesperson was quoted as saying: “The Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka has directed aggregators to cease operations of bike taxis after six weeks and accordingly directed the State Transport Department to not take any adverse action within such time. Karnataka-born Rapido is concerned about the welfare of lakhs of bike-taxi captains onboarded on the platform, and will evaluate and pursue appropriate legal remedies once the detailed order is made available.”
It’s not just Rapido
And the plight is not limited to Rapido. Senior advocate Arun Kumar, representing one of the parties, pointed out that Ola had only started bike taxi services in April 2024. Not that it matters. The High Court has mandated that all aggregators must comply.
Further, the HC judgment cited a 2019 expert committee report that examined traffic and safety risks associated with bike taxis. The court emphasised that without proper regulations, these services cannot continue.
What now?
The Karnataka government has been given three months to set clear guidelines for bike taxis. Until then, Bengalureans have to keep battling the traffic woes with cabs burning deep holes in their pockets.
