Bengaluru: Bike taxi drivers meet transport minister, urge him to reconsider ban

Bengaluru: A group of bike taxi drivers met Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday and urged him to reconsider the ban. 

In a petition addressed to the minister on behalf of one lakh bike taxi drivers across Bengaluru, the Namma Bike Taxi Association stated that drivers face daily harassment, fines and legal confusion even as they provide affordable, last-mile connectivity to lakhs of commuters. 

They called on the government to formally recognise bike taxis as a legal mode of transport and implement a structured policy framework, according to a news release. 

On Friday, Reddy had written to the transport department officials to ensure bike taxis cease operations by mid-May, in accordance with the recent Karnataka High Court directive. 

Question of survival

“We are not criminals — we are workers trying to earn a living with dignity,” said Ramesh K, a bike taxi driver and member of the association.

“Every day we live in fear. If bike taxis are legal in Delhi and Maharashtra, why are we being denied the right to work here in Karnataka?” 

The petition stated that many drivers were students, single parents or former salaried workers.

Without clear regulation, thousands could lose their sole source of income putting their survival in the city at risk. 

While the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020 recognise bike taxis, Karnataka has yet to frame state-level rules. 

N Reddy, a bike taxi driver, said: “If the government makes rules, we will follow them. But what is the logic of taking away my source for daily bread to make rules? How should I pay my child’s school fees till the government makes these rules?”