Karnataka Govt Prohibits Operation of Bike Taxis; Terms it 'Illegal'

In a recent notification, the Karnataka state government announced the ban on all bike taxis, citing violations of the Motor Vehicles Act.

The notification, issued on March 6 by Pushpa VS, Under Secretary of the Transport Department, highlighted concerns such as clashes between bike taxi operators and traditional auto and cab drivers, as well as safety issues for women.

Notably, Karnataka had previously introduced an electric bike taxi policy, aiming to enhance first and last-mile connectivity and generate employment. However, a committee convened to assess the efficacy of bike taxis concluded that they offered limited benefits to commuters and revenue generation, prompting the government to revoke the policy.

The decision received backing from 36 private transport unions and the Federation of Karnataka State Private Transport Associations, which had previously called for a Bengaluru bandh to protest bike taxis.

Nataraj Sharma, nominated president of the federation, commended Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy for fulfilling his commitment to ban bike taxis, making Karnataka the first state to do so.

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