The bike taxi dreams of Rapido, Uber, and Ola just got a jolt. But they're winning public favour
The bike taxi dreams of Rapido, Uber, and Ola just got a jolt. But they're winning public favour
Officials from the Regional Transport Office in Bangalore seized 103 two-wheelers as part of crackdown on bike taxi operators, after recent court ruling and protest by autorickshaw drivers. A scene from Rajajinagar RTO in Bangalore last week; image credit: Times of India
Synopsis
Three days after the blanket ban in Bengaluru, RTO-police officials in Mumbai caught bike taxis operating without permission. Various state governments' actions hinder a promising mobility option and conflict the centre's guidelines for affordable urban transport.
By MANU P TOMS 9 Mins Read, Jun 24, 2025, 05:00 AM IST
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At the bottom of the mobility pyramid, an intense battle is playing out that pitches one section of daily-wage workers against the other. It's a battle within. One group rides autorickshaws and the other, bikes. Both cater to last-mile passenger transport, targeting the same commuters who seek cheap and simple travel options. The turf fight between autorickshaw drivers and bike taxi captains became starkly visible in Bengaluru, one of the
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