Facing the threat of losing their livelihoods, around 40 women bike taxi drivers in Bengaluru submitted a petition to Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday, April 16, appealing to the state government to reconsider its decision to ban bike taxi services.
Their plea comes in the aftermath of a Karnataka High Court directive on April 2, which ordered all bike taxi operations to halt by mid-May due to the lack of regulatory provisions under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which requires any person acting as an agent, canvasser, or aggregator for public service vehicles or goods carriages to obtain a license from the designated authority. The court said that taxi service operators like Rapido, Ola, and Uber cannot operate as bike taxi aggregators unless the Karnataka government notifies specific guidelines and rules under Section 93.
In their appeal, the drivers stressed the need for a clear regulatory framework, temporary permits for compliant operators, and inclusive policy development through stakeholder consultations. Many of these women depend on bike taxis as their primary source of income and lack viable alternatives.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the court order, the Internet and Mobile Association of India, representing the digital services sector, has urged the government to establish a joint committee to formulate comprehensive bike taxi guidelines.