After hours of uncertainty, Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Transport, SS Sivasankar, clarified on December 11 that there would be no ban on bike taxis in the state. He said that the state government could not act independently of the Union government on this matter. However, he added that bike taxi drivers operating without mandatory third-party licenses would face a penalty.
The confusion stemmed from a Transport Commissioner’s order directing action against “two-wheelers used for commercial purposes” for violations of the Motor Vehicles Act. The order, issued to zonal officers and Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), provided no details other than a complaint filed by the Road Transport Workers Association, leading to speculation about a possible ban.
In a press conference, Sivasankar acknowledged concerns regarding passenger safety, legal challenges in accident compensation involving private vehicles, and complaints from auto drivers about losing business to bike taxis. Agreeing that the economic interests of bike taxi drivers also have to be taken into consideration, he said that the state government would conduct studies to determine what further measures to regulate bike taxis can be brought about.
In 2023, Bengaluru auto drivers protested against bike taxis, claiming unfair competition due to lower fares. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways clarified that motorcycles fall under the definition of “contract carriages” in Section 2(7) of the Motor Vehicles Act and should be regulated accordingly.