No more bike taxis in Bengaluru as Karnataka withdraws its bike policy citing its misuse
economictimes.indiatimes.combike taxi services owing to what the Congress regime sees as an apparent lack of encouraging response from ride-hailing services to offer services with electric two-wheelers and gross misuse of the present policy.
Transport department has withdrawn the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme, notified on July 14, 2021. ET had on February 9 reported the government planned to end the bike taxi scheme in the state.
Elevate Your Tech Prowess with High-Value Skill Courses
Offering CollegeCourseWebsiteIndian School of BusinessISB Professional Certificate in Product ManagementVisitIndian School of BusinessISB Product ManagementVisitMITMIT Technology Leadership and InnovationVisitThe regulation had sought to address urban mobility issues, including first and last mile connectivity problems faced by citizens. The scheme had been open to license holders to register the EV as a motorcycle in the transport category and use it as a public service vehicle.
Bengaluru-based Wicked Ride, the parent company of EV manufacturer Bounce, was the only firm that has applied for a license under the bike taxi scheme, officials told ET, not wishing to be identified. Bounce, a maker of electric two-wheelers, had plans to introduce bike taxi services with its own fleet, but went slow on that.
Karnataka, officials said, was the first state to have put out an exclusive policy to promote electric bike taxis, but the government did not find the response from platforms encouraging enough. EV startups had been making statements, but they were not
