A group of 110 bike taxi drivers from ride-hailing platforms like Ola, Uber, and Rapido met with Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Dasarahalli MLA S Muniraju on Thursday, days after the state banned bike taxis.
The team of drivers, all part of Namma Bike Taxi Association, urged the government to reverse its crackdown and submitted a petition on behalf of drivers across the state, demanding legal recognition of bike taxis and a policy framework to avoid confusion.
This meeting followed a series of open letters that were sent to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and MP Rahul Gandhi, none of whom had responded, according to the bike taxi drivers.
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Drivers also raised concerns over intimidation by auto unions. The groups have been at loggerheads in the state, with the auto rickshaw unions striking earlier this year against bike taxis, citing concern for their livelihood and the legality of bike taxis.
“My phone won’t stop ringing—250 to 300 drivers call me every day, asking for help. And I don’t know what to tell them. Should we lose our livelihoods because the government has no policy for bike taxis? We don’t want chaos. We need regulation, not a ban,” said Mohammed Salim, President, Namma Bike Taxi Association.
On June 16, ride-hailing apps including Uber and Rapido paused their bike taxi offerings. The same day, the feature was replaced by two-wheeler courier options, which were also subsequently removed.
While the central government has encouraged the adoption of bike taxis under its 2016 guidelines, the implementations were left to the states.
Edited by Kanishk Singh
