Karnataka Bike Taxi Drivers Urge Govt For Ban Reversal

A group of bike taxi drivers in Karnataka met the state health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Dasarahalli MLA S Muniraju yesterday, urging them to intervene and reverse the crackdown on bike taxis.

The meeting was followed by a host of open letters written to chief minister Siddaramaiah, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi, which did not elicit any response. 

Talking to Inc42, president of Namma Bike Taxi Association, Mohammed Salim said that besides reaching out to political leaders, the association also filed a petition, asking the state government to make clear policies around bike taxi operations in the state. 

“…We’re not asking for favours, we’re asking for the right to work legally and safely…,” said Salim. 

He further said  that about 100 bike riders were harassed by auto unions in the state barring them from protesting at Freedom Park in Karnataka. “We wrote to the police and other authorities, but they have denied us permission to raise our voice and protest for our rights under the auto union’s pressure,” Salim said. 

According to the association, about 1.5 Lakh riders in the state are impacted by the ban on bike taxi operations in Karnataka. “It is ironic that the same vehicle becomes illegal to operate as a bike taxi which delivers food,” Salim added.    

The development comes at a time when the Karnataka High Court banned the operations of bike taxis in the state in April. Following the ban, ride hailing platforms like Rapido, Ola and Uber were asked to halt their operations by June 15. 

On June 16, Rapido Ola and Uber halted their bike taxi operations in Karnataka following the HC’s order. 

The Bike Taxi Row In Karnataka

The seeds of banning bike taxis in Karnataka were sown last year when the then government withdrew the electric bike taxi scheme which aimed at improving first and last-mile connectivity from metro, bus and railway stations, as well as to create employment opportunities.

The government cited multiple reasons to withdraw the e-bike scheme from riders plying on the road with white board number plates to bitter confrontations between auto driver and bike taxi riders and reasons related to women safety. 

While ride hailing apps also tried to save their business by filing a petition challenging the HC order to ban bike taxi operations in the state but it did not find any conclusion. 

Salim said that the strong presence of auto unions in the state is the main reason that has led to a ban on bike taxis in Karnataka but he will keep fighting for the rights and livelihood of riders.