Bengalureans, we have bad news for you! The Karnataka government has banned bike taxis in the state and termed them illegal. Bike taxi which is a preferred mode of transport amongst Bengalureans owing to its ability to squeeze through traffic will no longer be available in the state. Read on to know more.
Karnataka Bans Bike Taxis; Govt Terms Them Illegal
Karnataka’s Congress government has imposed a ban on bike taxi services. Citing the services to be a gross misuse of the present policy and even terming them illegal. The government states that there has been a lack of encouraging response from bike taxis to offer services with electric two-wheelers. The Transport Department of the state has withdrawn the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme, notified on July 14, 2021. As per an ET report on February 9, the government planned to put an end to the bike taxi scheme.
While Karnataka was the first state in the country to issue an exclusive policy to promote electric bike taxis, the response was underwhelming. Platforms weren’t applying for licenses under the new environment-friendly scheme. Many EV startups issued positive statements. However, it wasn’t getting translated into licenses. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy stated to ET that many people operated bike taxis which ran on petrol. And this defeated the whole purpose of the scheme.
New Policy Encouraging Electric Bikes May Come Up
Transport Department officials stated that they shall take up an extensive study on the mobility sector. And then reintroduce this scheme with modifications. For long, bike taxi drivers and auto drivers in Bengaluru have clashed. Last year, auto drivers blocked a few bikes during a strike and also manhandled drivers. Auto drivers in Bengaluru demanded a ban on bike taxis.
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Bengaluru may not have bike taxis in the near future. However, bike taxis continue to thrive in Goa, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. For decades, Goa has been home to bike taxis where drivers are called pilots.
Bengalureans, do let us know how the ban on bike taxis in Karnataka will affect you.
Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro
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