Bike taxi services have resumed in Bengaluru after being banned for nearly two months, following observations made by the Karnataka High Court questioning the blanket ban imposed on June 16.
Ride-hailing firms had appealed against a single-judge order that disallowed bike taxi services in Karnataka from June 16. Following the ban, the state government had cracked down heavily, with RTOs imposing penalties and seizing vehicles.
On Wednesday, August 20, a division bench of the High Court adjourned the hearing on a batch of writ appeals filed by aggregators until September 22, urging the state government to take the matter seriously, since it impacts the livelihoods of lakhs of people.
However, the Karnataka government has termed the resumption of services a “violation” of court orders. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the court’s oral observations had been misinterpreted.
“The High Court only adjourned the hearing and directed the state to clarify its policy framework, noting that bike taxis are operational in many states. It did not permit aggregators to resume services. I will consult the Advocate General and seek his opinion,” the Transport Minister was quoted as saying by Times of India.
Despite this, ride-hailing firms Rapido, Uber and Ola swiftly reintroduced bike taxi services on Thursday, Deccan Herald reported. Rapido was the first to relaunch early in the morning, followed by Uber and later Ola. Rapido also ran a promotional campaign on its app, branding bike taxis as an “affordable and quick” option, while both Rapido and Uber offered discounts to attract users.