Bengaluru Bike taxis are not a luxury service but a critical necessity in Bengaluru’s urban transportation ecosystem, the Bike Taxi Welfare Association argued before the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday. The Association, responding to a case challenging the legality of bike taxis in the state, highlighted the urgent need for final-mile connectivity and traffic decongestion in the city.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwara Rao and Justice C.M. Joshi was hearing petitions that contest a previous single-judge bench order suspending bike taxi operations due to the absence of formal regulatory guidelines.
Representing the Association, the counsel argued that bike taxis provide an indispensable service in the current urban context. “They help reduce traffic congestion, offer connectivity where other transport modes cannot reach, and often serve areas inaccessible to cars or even ambulances. In a city like Bengaluru, plagued with perennial traffic snarls, two-wheelers can play a vital role in easing the pressure on roads,” the counsel submitted.
The court was also informed about the inconsistency in state policy. In 2021, the Karnataka government had issued specific rules for e-bike taxis. However, in a surprising policy reversal, these rules were withdrawn in 2024. The Association argued that the 2019 expert committee report, which recommended banning bike taxis, is now obsolete and no longer relevant to the city’s current mobility needs.
The bench questioned whether the state transport authority regulated bike taxi fares, to which the Association responded affirmatively, suggesting that it could be done similarly to cab services — for instance, at a base fare of Rs 8 per kilometre.
Senior advocates appearing for individual bike owners, Varikriti Mahendra Reddy and Madhu Kiran, pressed the constitutional angle, saying the state’s resistance to legalising bike taxis violates Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution — the right to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade, or business. “If the law allows contract carriage for two-wheelers, the government cannot arbitrarily deny it,” they argued, pointing out that both central aggregator guidelines and legal frameworks permit bike taxis.
The lawyers also emphasised the need to adopt innovative transportation solutions as Bengaluru’s population grows. “The city is congested not because of bike taxis but due to unplanned expansion and in-migration. Population growth is a sign of economic activity — we must respond with smart mobility solutions, not by blocking them,” they told the bench.
They further argued that bike taxis offer affordable and accessible transportation for a large section of the population, especially daily wage workers, students, and residents of poorly connected suburbs. For many two-wheeler owners, this is not just a livelihood but a bridge to financial independence in a city where the cost of living continues to rise.
The Association also reminded the court that several other Indian metros — including Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai — have adopted the bike taxi model, establishing guidelines and partnerships that operate within the legal framework while ensuring passenger safety and fair pricing.
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