A 10-member Karnataka transport department team has studied bike taxi operations in five major Indian cities to draft a state policy, as the High Court deadline nears.
The Karnataka transport department has stepped up its efforts to frame a comprehensive bike taxi policy by sending a 10-member team to study how other cities regulate the sector. Two officials each visited Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai to examine their bike taxi frameworks, safety standards, and operating provisions.
Also Read:Good news! Bengaluru Yellow Line metro to run every 15 minutes as 5th train arrives
The findings from these visits will form the basis of a detailed report that will be reviewed by the state’s high-level committee on bike taxis. The committee, chaired by Dr. N V Prasad, Secretary of the Transport Department, includes senior representatives from the Directorate of Urban and Land Transport (DULT), Labour Department, Transport and Road Safety Department, BMTC, Bengaluru City Police (Traffic and Law & Order), BMRCL, Greater Bengaluru Authority, and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board. The Additional Transport Commissioner and Secretary, State Transport Authority, serves as the member secretary.
Delhi’s model aligns with the 2025 central guidelines, allowing private bikes as bike taxis with a phased shift to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. Delhi Metro has already integrated EV bike taxis at 12 stations for last-mile connectivity. Mumbai has implemented its 2025 Bike Taxi Rules, restricting operations to electric bikes in cities with over one lakh population and capping rides at 15 km.
Also Read:GBA Chief Maheshwar Rao orders immediate repairs, allocates ₹125 crore after rising public outrage
Kolkata mandates commercial yellow plates, with nearly 30,000 bikes operating under a strong regulatory framework. Chennai allows aggregators like Ola, Uber, and Rapido under the central guidelines, with a state aggregator policy under consideration. Hyderabad, meanwhile, lacks a formal policy and sees 60,000-70,000 private bikes in operation, with unions demanding regulation or a ban due to safety and tax concerns.
The state’s policy deliberations follow the Karnataka High Court’s April order suspending bike taxi operations statewide. The order was challenged by five key players — Uber, Ola, Rapido, Varikruti Mahendra Reddy, and the Bike Taxi Welfare Association. In an August 20 hearing, the High Court termed bike taxis a “legitimate business” and called the ban “arbitrary” and unconstitutional, directing the state to consider framing a clear policy.
Also Read:Cheaper curd & ghee soon: KMF to slash Nandini prices after GST cut