Mint Primer | Bumpy: Impact of Karnataka High Court ban on bike taxis
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The Karnataka High Court has prohibited bike taxis until the government lays down clear guidelines under the Motor Vehicles Act. How significant is this ruling, will it disrupt ride-hailing platforms and reshape daily commutes for users? Mint takes a deep dive: The Karnataka High Court has mandated that shared mobility aggregators, including Rapido, Uber and Ola, cease operations of bike taxis in the state within six weeks due to the absence of specific state regulation around the service.
The court has given three months to the state government to come up with rules for bike taxis, saying the transport department cannot register motorcycles as transport vehicles or issue permits for these services until the guidelines are established under the Motor Vehicles Act. Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy said he will review the order and develop guidelines. Also Read | Mint Primer | Clear signal: How equity deal can play out for Vi The issue has been going on for the last few years due to ambiguity over the legality of the service.
Bike taxis emerged as a cheap mode of transport in 2016-2019, with Rapido, the largest player in the segment, introducing bike taxis in Bengaluru in 2015. The Karnataka Transport Department has repeatedly declared bike taxis illegal, citing the lack of a commercial permit category for two-wheelers. In 2021, Karnataka imposed restrictions, leading platforms to challenge the decision in court.
The High Court then issued an interim order stopping the state from taking action against these services. Also Read | Mint Primer: Do AIF investors need easier accreditation? There are over 100,000 two-wheelers operating as taxis in Bengaluru. Rapido leads with a 60% market
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