Bike taxis have returned to Bengaluru’s bustling streets, with Uber and Rapido resuming up their services after a two-month suspension. The resumption kicked off on August 21, a day after the Karnataka High Court weighed in on the ongoing saga, but not everyone’s cheering. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy insists the court didn’t greenlight the move.
The trouble started back on June 16 when a single-judge bench of the High Court slapped a ban on bike taxis, ruling that they couldn’t operate without clear government guidelines under the Motor Vehicles Act. That led to RTOs seizing bikes and slapping hefty fines, bringing the sector to a halt and hitting the livelihoods of around 1.2 lakh drivers in Bengaluru alone.
A division bench, led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, called the blanket prohibition “unconstitutional” and “arbitrary,” recognizing bike taxis as a legit business that shouldn’t be suffocated without due process. The bench gave the state government a month to hammer out a policy and adjourned the case to September 22, urging officials to think about the real-world fallout on jobs. However, no interim order explicitly allowed operations to restart, per Reddy, who plans to consult the Advocate General and possibly escalate it back to court.
Rapido didn’t waste time, rolling out a new fare structure: Rs 7.3 per km for the first 5 km, scaling up to Rs 11.5 beyond 10 km. Uber followed suit, though neither company responded to requests for comment. Meanwhile, the Federation of Karnataka State Private Transport Association is crying foul, labeling the resumption “contempt of court” and demanding action.
As Bengaluru’s traffic snarls continue, riders are relieved to have affordable options back, but the legal wrangling suggests this ride might hit more bumps ahead. The government’s policy decision could reshape urban mobility in the state, with all eyes on that September hearing.
