Latest news with #KarnatakaElectricBikeTaxiScheme
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Karnataka HC refuses relief to bike aggregators; Nasscom warns state govt of huge job losses
Despite efforts from stakeholders, bike taxis will stop plying on roads post June 15 as the Karnataka High Court on Friday refused to stay a single judge's order prohibiting the use of such taxis until a formal policy is introduced. The appeal was filed by ANI Technologies ( Ola ) and Uber India , challenging Justice B Shyam Prasad's order to suspend services. The division bench of acting chief justice Kameswar Rao and Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar on Friday directed Ola, Uber and the transport department to file their submissions on merit by June 20. The matter was adjourned to June 24. The IT industry body, Nasscom , on Thursday wrote to the Karnataka government urging it to defer the June 15 deadline, warning of large-scale livelihood disruptions. Nasscom said the role of tech-enabled mobility, such as bike taxis, boosts last-mile connectivity, eases traffic congestion, and supports gig workers. 'The ecosystem not only offers affordable and efficient mobility but also sustains lakhs of gig workers across the state, including students, women, migrants from other parts of Karnataka and those recovering from the post-pandemic economic crisis,' the industry body noted in its letter. Nasscom requested the state government to provide interim relief while simultaneously initiating a consultative process to develop a balanced regulatory framework for a long-term solution. It suggested that existing models in states like Delhi, Telangana and Rajasthan should be reviewed to formulate rules. Nasscom reiterated its commitment to work closely with the government to craft a forward-looking policy that supports innovation and ensures commuter safety. Ride-hailing services and the state government had been at loggerheads after Karnataka, in March last year, banned the operation of bike taxi services owing to what the government saw as a lack of encouraging response from ride-hailing platforms to offer services with electric two-wheelers (E2Ws). The government withdrew the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme that it had notified on July 14, 2021. The sources in the government argued that the transport department was not inclined to allow bike taxi operations, as 1.7 lakh autos and cabs in Bengaluru paid taxes every quarter. However, bike taxis had no compulsion for such taxes as they are meant for private use, paying only a lifetime tax.
NDTV
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Karnataka Minister Asks Authorities To Enforce High Court's Bike Taxi Ban
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has instructed officials to implement a High Court order and stop bike taxi services across the state within six weeks. The directive follows a High Court ruling, which prohibited Rapido, Uber, and Ola from operating bike taxis unless the state government notified specific regulations under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Without these rules, Justice Shyam Prasad said bike taxis are illegal. In a letter to Transport Commissioner Yogesh AM and Principal Secretary Dr N V Prasad, Mr Reddy called for immediate action. "The High Court has given three bike taxi aggregators - Uber India Systems, Roppen Transportation Services, and ANI Technologies - a six-week deadline to cease their operations in Karnataka. I have instructed the officials to comply with the same," he wrote. How The Legal Battle Started The legal battle began in 2016 when Rapido, under its parent company Roppen Transportation Services Limited, started bike taxi services in Karnataka, but the state Transport Department declared them illegal. Authorities argued that private two-wheelers cannot be used for commercial purposes under state rules. This led to multiple crackdowns, including the seizure of hundreds of bikes in 2019 and 2022, following protests from auto rickshaws and cab unions who claimed bike taxis were harming their businesses. In response, Rapido approached the Karnataka High Court, seeking permission to operate legally. In July 2021, the state introduced the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme, legalising bike taxis but limiting them to electric vehicles (EVs). The High Court also issued an interim order preventing any action against Rapido while the case was pending. Tensions continued, with auto rickshaw unions clashing with bike taxi riders. In April 2024, the High Court ordered the state to protect bike taxi operators from harassment by autorickshaw drivers. The state withdrew the Electric Bike Taxi Scheme in March 2024, citing safety concerns and misuse, but Rapido continued its operations, protected by the court's interim order. On November 12, 2024, the High Court reserved its judgment on Rapido's plea to register two-wheelers as transport vehicles and issue permits under the Motor Vehicles Act. The state argued that white-plate bikes violated regulations. On April 2, the court ruled that bike taxis can't operate without state regulations, impacting platforms like Rapido, which has around 1.2 lakh riders in Bengaluru.
