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Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy told News18 that while the government accepts HC’s 1-month time limit to frame policy, the court didn’t lift the ban or allow service resumption
News18 spoke to a couple of bike pilots, or captains, as they are called. When asked how they knew they could resume service, they said they were closely following the High Court proceedings. Representational image
Open the Rapido or Uber app today and try booking a bike taxi—you may be surprised. The apps, which had suspended the service after the Karnataka government imposed a ban on two-wheeler taxis, have once again resumed operations.
Bookings are now going through almost instantly, even though the ban came into force on June 16, following a Karnataka High Court directive that such services cease operations after June 15.
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News18 spoke to a couple of bike pilots, or captains, as they are called. When asked how they knew they could resume service, they said they were closely following the High Court proceedings.
“We knew that we would be allowed, as the HC has been sympathetic towards us since this is our source of livelihood. I have a daughter who goes to school and a younger one who is just ten months old. I have to run my family and ensure I bring food to the table,” the captain said and repeatedly asked not to be named.
Another bike taxi pilot from a different aggregator platform said that he was told by his friends in the Bike Riders Association that they could start operations and that the government would have to give the green signal.
“The moment I heard it, I went to my regular area where I used to get a lot of college-going students using my bike service, and I was so happy to hear that sound ‘ting-ting’ that told me that bookings were coming in,” he said.
“Our lives matter,” pleaded bike taxi riders, who had been waiting for the ban to be lifted. This was also the argument that was made in court.
After a 67-day suspension, Uber and Rapido resumed bike taxi services in Karnataka on Thursday. A division bench of the High Court, consisting of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C. M. Joshi, allowed the government a month’s time to frame a comprehensive policy, citing that “lives are at stake in this matter.”
The government had earlier imposed the ban from June 16, with RTOs seizing bikes and levying heavy penalties, forcing aggregators to halt services. Companies then approached the court, which has now adjourned the hearing on their appeals to September 22, urging the state to treat the matter seriously as it affects the livelihoods of lakhs of people.
But desperation also led to desperate measures. During the ban, riders in Bengaluru turned to contacting past customers privately on WhatsApp, offering rides using saved numbers from previous trips or by calling after parcel bookings.
This unofficial workaround helped commuters avoid high auto fares but raised serious privacy concerns and remained outside legal regulation.
The ban itself sparked huge outrage in Bengaluru, with many arguing that bike taxis were a faster and more economical option at a time when autorickshaw and cab fares had soared. The Karnataka High Court, too, strongly criticised the government’s decision, calling its rationale “thin” and “legally untenable”.
Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, who headed the bench, reiterated that bike taxis were not a luxury but a necessity, particularly for affordable last-mile connectivity in cities. The court also provided relief to operators by directing the advocate general to ensure no coercive or punitive action is taken against drivers for the time being.
“They have found a loophole where it is said that no coercive or punitive action is taken against drivers by the Karnataka High Court,” said a source in the Karnataka Auto Drivers Association. “The court had clearly said that while the government has been given time to frame a comprehensive bike taxi policy, no action can be taken against aggregators. That is the point they are using to resume operations.”
Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy told reporters, “On Wednesday, the Karnataka High Court adjourned the hearing for a month, directing the government to make its stand clear on policy, observing that in many other states, bike taxis are operational. But the court has not allowed aggregators to resume their operations. I will talk to the advocate general and seek his opinion.”
Summing up the challenges raised by ride-hailing companies, the bench remarked that “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).”
“Let’s be clear. The government has been given a month. Let them come up with the policy. But instead of waiting patiently and following the rule of law, the aggregators have defied it. They have shown no respect for the law of the land or our courts. They have actually acted in contempt of court,” said Tanveer Pasha, president of the Ola Uber Drivers’ and Owners’ Association in Karnataka, speaking to News18.
Transport minister Ramalinga Reddy also told News18 that while the government accepts the High Court’s decision giving one month to frame a policy, it has not explicitly permitted the resumption of services. “We will place this before the court. Any decision on enforcement will be taken after consultations with transport department officials. We will bring this to the notice of the court,” he said.
Before the ban, nearly 1.20 lakh private bikes were attached to different aggregators in Bengaluru, while across Karnataka, about six lakh people depended on bike taxis for their livelihoods. After the prohibition, the Bike Taxi Association had written to chief minister Siddaramaiah and leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, saying over one lakh gig workers had lost their right to earn a livelihood. They urged intervention to protect workers affected by the ban.
The Bike Taxi Welfare Association has since welcomed the court’s observations, reiterating its commitment to working with the government to ensure safe, legal and sustainable operations.
Meanwhile, News18 reached out to Rapido for comments on the resumption of services, but the company has not yet responded.
As the High Court reminded, bike taxis are already a legal form of transport in 13 states, and a lack of regulation cannot justify a blanket ban. “Every trade is permissible unless specifically prohibited. You may regulate, but regulation cannot mean complete prohibition,” the bench stressed, pointing out the contradiction in permitting cars and autos while barring motorcycles.
The advocate general argued that motorcycles cannot be treated as “transport vehicles” under the Motor Vehicles Act, citing the Delhi example where the Supreme Court had held that such services could not run without a policy. But the court pushed back, asking, “You say congestion is the reason, but is there material to show that bike taxis cause more congestion than autos? Are you suggesting that autos congest less?”
The bench concluded that Karnataka has “no policy, only prohibition”, warning that the state cannot indefinitely avoid framing rules while effectively banning the sector.
About the Author
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t…Read More
Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18’s digital platform. She has previously worked with t… Read More
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