Bike taxi crackdown begins today: Vehicle seizure, hefty fines likely

Bengaluru: Transport authorities in the state said they would launch a crackdown on bike taxi services on Monday after the Karnataka High Court's refusal to grant interim relief to the operators. 

The action will include confiscation of two-wheelers, fines ranging between Rs 2,000 and Rs 10,000, or imprisonment of three months to one year. 

Transport Secretary N V Prasad asserted that they were "prepared to fully enforce" the high court ruling that bike taxi operators must cease operations by June 15. 

He declined to specify how the order would be enforced. 

Karnataka has refused to frame a bike taxi policy. 

A senior official explained that the department would monitor ride-hailing firms whether they were still offering bike taxi services. 

"We hope they will not disobey the court order. But if they still operate, we'll monitor them and confiscate the vehicles," the official added. "The action will be taken by the respective RTOs." 

Bike taxis will face fines for violating the vehicle registration conditions — using a personal two-wheeler as a transport vehicle or without the necessary permit. 

"The fine may go up to Rs 10,000 depending on the nature of offence," the official added. 

Bike taxi captains may also face other fines over vehicle insurance, pollution and registration renewal violations. 

The Transport Department will hold a meeting on Monday morning to further discuss the modalities of the crackdown, another senior official said. "A lot of things have to be worked out," the official said. 

'Don't ban us overnight'

On Sunday, the Namma Bike Taxi Association wrote letters to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, asking them to stop the blanket ban that would affect over one lakh gig workers across Karnataka. 

"We, bike taxi drivers, are students, daily-wage earners, helpers, parents — many of us turned to this work when other jobs were not available, especially after Covid... Arguments against bike taxis often mention safety, helmet quality and accident risks. But instead of bringing in clear rules for licensing, training and insurance, the Transport Department has chosen to ban our source of income with no consideration for the impact it can have on drivers. 

"Passengers also suffer. Many use bike taxis for quick, low-cost rides. These are the only affordable rides for thousands, especially where buses are few. We do nearly eight crore trips in a year... We need proper rules, like for autos and car taxis... Don’t ban us overnight," association president Mohammed Salim wrote. 

Challenging moment: Rapido 

Rapido, the largest bike taxi operator in Karnataka, said it was pursuing all avenues and was hopeful of a viable framework for bike taxis. 

"This is a challenging moment for our captains... They have been instrumental in delivering affordable, last-mile mobility to millions of commuters across Karnataka. We remain committed to working collaboratively with the Transport Department and the government of Karnataka to help shape a regulatory framework..."