Bangalore Bike Taxi Ban To Stay: Here's Why

Bengaluru's bike taxi ban is set to continue. A government appointed expert committee has recommended that such services remain prohibited across Karnataka, dealing another setback to operators like Rapido, Uber and Ola who have been trying to resume operations since June. The 11-member panel, chaired by Transport Secretary NV Prasad, has submitted a 34-page report to the Karnataka High Court calling for a complete prohibition, citing legal violations, safety gaps and the risk of worsening Bengaluru's already heavy traffic.

The report states that private two wheelers with white number plates cannot legally be used as taxis under current law. They do not have commercial registration, valid permits, aggregator licences or passenger insurance. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority has also not approved any insurance product for privately registered bikes carrying fare paying passengers. The committee notes that this makes bike taxis a legal issue rather than a policy experiment that can simply be regularised without changes to the law.

Why the panel says bike taxis make traffic worse

Bengaluru currently has nearly 12 million vehicles on its roads, including about 10.6 million private two wheelers and cars. Between 2015 and 2025, the number of two wheelers nearly doubled, while BMTC buses grew by only 14 percent. According to the committee, adding bike taxis on top of this would increase congestion rather than reduce it.

Its logic is straightforward. A single city bus can carry 30 to 40 people in the road space of a few cars. Moving the same number of passengers on bikes would require around 30 separate two wheelers, each taking up lane space, crossing junctions and adding to traffic signals. The report also points out that bike taxi fares for short rides are usually close to 50 rupees, compared to BMTC fares that start at 6 rupees. For daily commuters, the panel argues, buses remain far more affordable than bike taxis.

The committee also highlights a less expected concern. It found that nearly 18 percent of bike taxi riders were college students using parental vehicles for commercial work. The report flags worries about poor class attendance and long term academic impact, although it does not provide detailed data on how widespread this problem is.

Safety, EV scheme rollback and gig work

Safety is another major reason behind the recommendation. The panel notes that passengers on private bikes lack dedicated insurance cover, and that unregulated operations make it harder to enforce safety norms or track offending riders. These concerns are linked back to the state government's decision to discontinue the Electric Bike Taxi Scheme introduced in 2021.

That scheme was meant to support self-employment and last mile connectivity using electric two wheelers. It was scrapped in March 2024 after the government concluded that it posed safety risks for women and clashed with provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act. Auto rickshaw and taxi unions had strongly opposed bike taxis from the beginning, arguing that the services threatened the livelihoods of thousands of drivers who operate with proper permits.

At the same time, the committee recognises that delivery work on two wheelers is lawful. It makes a clear distinction between using private bikes to deliver goods and using them to carry passengers for hire. The report recommends that app-based delivery services on private two wheelers should continue, while passenger carrying bike taxi operations should remain banned.

More buses, stronger enforcement, court to decide

Instead of legalising bike taxis, the panel suggests closing last mile gaps through mass transport. Karnataka has sanctioned 9,000 electric buses for BMTC under the PM e Drive scheme. Once these are added, the fleet will cross 10,000 buses. The committee recommends expanding the Metro network as well, and running more feeder buses to and from major stations and transit hubs.

It also calls for stronger enforcement action against illegal bike taxi operations and support for gig workers under the state's new Platform Based Gig Workers Welfare Act. However, this support is meant to focus on welfare and social security, not on legitimising bike taxis.

The Karnataka High Court is currently hearing writ appeals from Ola, Uber and Rapido challenging the ban that took effect on 16 June. A division bench has earlier described bike taxis as a "legitimate business" and termed the blanket ban "arbitrary and unconstitutional," asking the state to frame a clear policy. The case is listed for hearing on 24 November.

The next step will depend on how the court views the committee's arguments. The judges will decide whether the legal and traffic concerns outlined in the report are strong enough reasons to keep Bengaluru's bike taxi ban in place, even as riders and commuters look for faster and cheaper ways to move around the city.