<p>Bengaluru: Ride-hailing firm Uber said on Tuesday the Karnataka State Transport Authority (KSTA) had renewed its transport aggregator licence under the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Aggregator Rules, 2016, for five years, retrospectively, — from December 31, 2021, to December 30, 2026. </p>.<p>Uber and its rival, Ola Cabs, had seen their licences expire in 2021. However, both continued operations after the High Court of Karnataka restrained the state government from taking coercive action against them. </p>.<p>The companies have challenged the 2016 aggregator rules, which laid down guidelines for the functioning of app-based ride-hailing platforms. While Uber and its rival Ola cabs were granted the licence in 2016, Ola's licence expired in June 2021 and Uber's in December that year. </p>.<p>According to Rule 4(3), the licence holder was to apply for licence renewal at least 60 days from expiry. But neither company complied, leading to non-renewal of licence. The rules also require a minimum fleet size, a control room in Bengaluru, and a grievance redress mechanism among other things. </p>.Karnataka renews Uber's transport aggregator permit.<p>The Transport Department also started seizing cabs, calling them illegal. Both firms later moved the high court, which restrained the department from taking coercive action against them. </p>.<p>There was also a dispute over the department's insistence that aggregators cannot offer autorickshaw rides under these rules and must instead obtain separate licences for such services. </p>.<p>An Uber spokesperson stated: "We are pleased to receive our transport aggregator licence in Karnataka — a state that has been one of Uber’s most important markets in India." </p>.<p>Since entering India in 2013 as a cab ride-hailing service, Uber has expanded into multiple vehicle categories.</p>.<p>Late last year, it introduced metro ticketing in Bengaluru. In 2025, it also integrated its in-app SOS feature with the Bengaluru police to provide emergency assistance to riders and drivers, the spokesperson said. </p>
<p>Bengaluru: Ride-hailing firm Uber said on Tuesday the Karnataka State Transport Authority (KSTA) had renewed its transport aggregator licence under the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Aggregator Rules, 2016, for five years, retrospectively, — from December 31, 2021, to December 30, 2026. </p>.<p>Uber and its rival, Ola Cabs, had seen their licences expire in 2021. However, both continued operations after the High Court of Karnataka restrained the state government from taking coercive action against them. </p>.<p>The companies have challenged the 2016 aggregator rules, which laid down guidelines for the functioning of app-based ride-hailing platforms. While Uber and its rival Ola cabs were granted the licence in 2016, Ola's licence expired in June 2021 and Uber's in December that year. </p>.<p>According to Rule 4(3), the licence holder was to apply for licence renewal at least 60 days from expiry. But neither company complied, leading to non-renewal of licence. The rules also require a minimum fleet size, a control room in Bengaluru, and a grievance redress mechanism among other things. </p>.Karnataka renews Uber's transport aggregator permit.<p>The Transport Department also started seizing cabs, calling them illegal. Both firms later moved the high court, which restrained the department from taking coercive action against them. </p>.<p>There was also a dispute over the department's insistence that aggregators cannot offer autorickshaw rides under these rules and must instead obtain separate licences for such services. </p>.<p>An Uber spokesperson stated: "We are pleased to receive our transport aggregator licence in Karnataka — a state that has been one of Uber’s most important markets in India." </p>.<p>Since entering India in 2013 as a cab ride-hailing service, Uber has expanded into multiple vehicle categories.</p>.<p>Late last year, it introduced metro ticketing in Bengaluru. In 2025, it also integrated its in-app SOS feature with the Bengaluru police to provide emergency assistance to riders and drivers, the spokesperson said. </p>
