Karnataka High Court orders bike taxi aggregators to halt operations within 6 weeks: Report

The Karnataka High Court has directed bike taxi aggregators, including Rapido, to cease operations in the state within six weeks, reported Bar and Bench. The ruling was issued on Wednesday by Justice B Shyam Prasad, dismissing petitions filed by Rapido’s parent company, Ropeen Transportation Services Private Limited, along with other aggregators such as Uber and Ola.

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According to the report, companies had approached the court seeking recognition of bike taxis as legal transport services. They had requested permission for the registration of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) two-wheelers as transport vehicles. Additionally, they urged the court to instruct authorities to implement regulations governing bike taxi services. Rapido, which has been operating in the city, had also sought protection from any government action that could disrupt its business.

In April 2022, an interim relief was granted by another bench led by Justice Jyoti Milimani, preventing authorities from taking coercive measures against bike taxi services. This temporary protection allowed Rapido to continue its operations without interference. However, Justice Prasad, who took up the case in 2023, ruled against the petitioners, stating that the court cannot compel the government to create a regulatory framework or mandate the registration of private two-wheelers as transport vehicles.

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Following this verdict, bike taxi services must discontinue within the specified timeframe. There has been an increasing pressure from Bengaluru’s auto-rickshaw and cab drivers, who recently staged a large-scale protest demanding action against illegal bike taxis. Responding to these concerns, the Karnataka Transport Department had previously announced a crackdown on unauthorized bike taxi services. Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) across the city have been instructed to form special teams to identify and take action against illegal bike taxis operating in Bengaluru.