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Karnataka bans electric bike taxi services, says it is 'illegal and unsafe for women'

IndianStartupNews

IndianStartupNews · 1y ago

Karnataka bans electric bike taxi services, says it is 'illegal and unsafe for women'

The Karnataka government has withdrawn the 2021 Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme due to concerns over safety and legal violations. The scheme aimed to promote electric mobility and urban connectivity but was deemed unsafe for women and in violation of the Motor Vehicles Act. Clashes between electric bike taxi riders and traditional auto rickshaw drivers have exacerbated concerns. Startups like Rapido clarify that the ban does not affect their operations. The withdrawal raises questions about the future of electric mobility and urban transport in Karnataka.

Related News

No more bike taxis in Bengaluru as Karnataka withdraws its bike policy citing its misuse

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

No more bike taxis in Bengaluru as Karnataka withdraws its bike policy citing its misuse

The Karnataka government has banned bike taxi services due to a lack of response from ride-hailing companies to offer electric two-wheelers and misuse of the existing policy. The Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme, introduced on July 14, 2021, has been withdrawn. Only one company, Wicked Ride, had applied for a license under the scheme. The government plans to modify the scheme and reintroduce it after conducting a comprehensive study on the mobility sector. Bengaluru has become a contentious market for bike taxis, with clashes between auto drivers and bike taxi services.

Ola applies for licence to operate e-bike taxis in Karnataka

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

Ola applies for licence to operate e-bike taxis in Karnataka

ANI Technologies, the parent company of Ola, has applied for a license to operate an electric bike taxi service in Bengaluru and other towns in Karnataka. The state allows EV two-wheelers to be used as bike taxis under its Electric Bike Taxi Scheme, 2021. Ola's founder, Bhavish Aggarwal, recently announced the re-launch of Ola Bike, a two-wheeler taxi service that will use electric scooters. The move is aimed at expanding ride-hailing services in smaller towns and promoting environmentally friendly transportation options.

Karnataka may end bike taxi services in Bengaluru on poor response from aggregators

Economic Times

Economic Times · 1y ago

Karnataka may end bike taxi services in Bengaluru on poor response from aggregators

The Karnataka government is considering ending bike taxi services due to a lack of response from ride-hailing firms to offer electric two-wheelers. The only firm that has applied for a license under the bike taxi scheme is Wicked Ride, the parent company of EV manufacturer Bounce. The government has not found the response from platforms encouraging enough, despite Karnataka being the first state to promote electric bike taxis. A study will be conducted to reintroduce the scheme with modifications in Bengaluru. Auto drivers have demanded a ban on bike taxis in the region.

Uber restarts bike taxi services in Karnataka after Rapido - The Economic Times

Economic Times

Economic Times · 6d ago

Uber restarts bike taxi services in Karnataka after Rapido - The Economic Times

Uber has resumed its bike taxi services, Bike Direct, in Bengaluru after the Karnataka High Court clarified it did not issue any prohibitive orders against bike taxis during an August 20 hearing. This follows Rapido's relaunch of its services. Despite this legal clarity, bike taxi drivers remain hesitant, fearing road stoppages as uncertainties persist due to pending court judgments. Karnataka hosts around 600,000 gig workers engaged in various services across major cities.

Bengaluru likely to end bike taxi

Inc42 · 1y ago

Bengaluru likely to end bike taxi

The Karnataka government is considering ending bike taxi services in Bengaluru due to a lack of response from ride-hailing aggregators. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has reportedly agreed to withdraw the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme following poor participation by companies offering two-wheeler services. The scheme was designed to address urban mobility issues, including first and last-mile connectivity. Currently, only one company, Wicked Ride (parent company of Bounce), has applied for a license under the scheme. Other states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Goa, have allowed bike taxis.

Rapido launches zero-profit bike taxi facilitator in Karnataka - The Economic Times

Economic Times

Economic Times · 11d ago

Rapido launches zero-profit bike taxi facilitator in Karnataka - The Economic Times

Ride-hailing platform Rapido has launched 'Bike Direct,' a non-profit bike taxi service in Karnataka to support drivers after rivals Ola and Uber suspended their bike taxi services following a high court order. The initiative aims to help riders rebuild livelihoods without a commercial motive. Despite previous high court proceedings, the lack of a clear policy has disrupted bike taxi services, affecting gig workers reliant on this income in Karnataka.

Karnataka HC refuses relief to bike aggregators; Nasscom warns state govt of huge job losses

Economic Times

Economic Times · 2m ago

Karnataka HC refuses relief to bike aggregators; Nasscom warns state govt of huge job losses

The Karnataka High Court declined to stay a single judge's order stopping bike taxi services until a policy is in place, affecting companies like Ola and Uber. Nasscom warned the Karnataka government of job losses and economic impact, urging a policy review similar to other states. The state previously banned bike taxis due to lack of electric vehicle use and tax issues, causing a clash with ride-hailing services. The case is ongoing.

Ola dangles Rs 70K monthly earnings for riders in push to expand e-bike taxi service

Money Control

Money Control · 1y ago

Ola dangles Rs 70K monthly earnings for riders in push to expand e-bike taxi service

Ola is aggressively expanding its electric bike taxi service in Bengaluru, India, and offering attractive incentives of up to INR 70,000 per month to e-bike riders. The company is also renting out electric scooters with a security deposit of INR 5,000 to those who want to join as e-bike taxi riders. Ola aims to get a head start over rivals like Uber, as it seeks to capitalize on the growing demand for clean and convenient transportation options. However, the company is currently operating without a license from the Karnataka transport department.

Karnataka HC gives govt one month to decide on bike taxi policy

Entrackr

Entrackr · 15d ago

Karnataka HC gives govt one month to decide on bike taxi policy

Karnataka HC gives govt one month to decide on bike taxi policy The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday gave the state government a month to decide whether to frame a bike taxi policy, noting that there are “lives at stake in this matter.” A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C M Joshi was hearing appeals by Rapido, Uber, and Ola against a single-judge order that barred bike taxi operations in Karnataka unless specific rules were issued under the Motor Vehicles Act. The court declined to grant interim relief but said the state should not “put everything into freeze” while a decision is pending. The bench observed that permitting cars and autorickshaws as taxis while excluding motorcycles could raise constitutional concerns under Articles 14 (equality before law) and 19(1)(g) (right to carry on trade). It added that the absence of regulation cannot automatically mean prohibition. Summarising the submissions by the platforms, the court recorded, “A blanket prohibition is unconstitutional since bike taxis are a legitimate business. In the absence of regulations, the business cannot be treated as illegal and should be allowed. The ban is therefore arbitrary, unreasonable, and violative of Articles 14 and 19(1)(g).” Bike taxis have long been a point of debate in Karnataka. The state government has resisted legalising them, citing safety and traffic concerns, even as 13 other states including Delhi and Telangana have already put regulations in place. In July, the Centre revised its Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines to let states authorise bike taxis through permits, with rules such as capping surge fares at twice the base fare and allowing private motorcycles for commercial use. States were given three months to adopt these rules, but Karnataka has yet to act, leaving bike taxi services in a grey zone. Meanwhile, a Moneycontrol report said that Rapido and Uber resumed bike taxi services in Bengaluru on August 21.

Bike Taxi Association calls for an inclusive regulatory framework in Karnataka

YourStory

YourStory · 3m ago

Bike Taxi Association calls for an inclusive regulatory framework in Karnataka

Over 100 bike taxi drivers from the Bike Taxi Association (BTA) gathered at the Karnataka Transport Minister's office in Bengaluru to submit a representation for a regulatory framework for bike taxi services. Highlighting livelihood concerns for over 6 lakh riders, the BTA emphasized the critical role these services play. They urged the government for fair guidelines, noting that bike taxis support over 20 lakh commuters and facilitate 50 lakh rides monthly in Bengaluru.

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