Bike taxi ban case: ‘Without aggregators, how can commuters access motorbikes?'
bike taxi aggregators
Ola, Uber and Rapido, along with others, challenging a single judge's April 2025 decision. The ruling stated that bike taxi services could not operate in the state unless the state government notified specific guidelines and rules under the Motor Vehicles Act.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Joshi addressed the matter, specifically questioning the state govt on whether it had intentionally decided to disallow bike taxis.
The state's counsel argued that the Motor Vehicles Act does not permit bikes to be used as taxis. However, the Court dismissed this argument as 'thin', noting that several states allow bike taxis under the same statute applicable across India.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Uday Holla, representing Roppen Transportation Services (Rapido), contended that the single judge assumed, though not pleaded, that the state govt had a policy against bike taxis. He argued that if such a policy exists, it contravenes the statute, which permits motorbikes as taxis.
Holla further highlighted that various states, including Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana and Orissa, permit bike taxis.
Addressing the convenience of bike taxis, Holla stated, 'Today, Bangalore Metro has just two lines (in Bangalore)...Bike taxis help commuters and are a matter of easy convenience. The single judge has also said that the State government must be alive to the changes coming in society. Now, how will commuters access motorbikes?
Without aggregators, motorbikes will just be running all around. But if there is an aggregator, bikes can be made accessible. You see how convenient bike taxis are, you get one in a minute or two.'
He also mentioned that earlier whiteboards were issued to bike taxis and suggested that establishing guidelines would create a regulatory framework.
Emphasising the role of aggregators in ensuring commuter safety, Holla added, 'If aggregators are not there, who will check the background of the drivers? Aggregators add to the entire mechanism... They check the antecedents of the drivers.'
He also claimed that bike taxis reduce traffic congestion, citing media reports indicating increased traffic following the disallowance of bike taxis in the state.
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