100 bike-taxi drivers urge Transport Minister to reconsider ban

Over 100 bike taxi drivers, including drivers from the Namma Bike Taxi Association and others affiliated with Rapido, Uber, and Ola, met Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday to share their concerns on the bike taxi ban.

Over 100 bike taxi drivers, including drivers from the Namma Bike Taxi Association and others affiliated with Rapido, Uber, and Ola, met Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday to share their concerns on the bike taxi ban.

In a petition addressed to the Minister on behalf of 1 lakh bike taxi drivers across Bengaluru, the drivers urged protection of their livelihoods amidst growing regulatory uncertainty.

The drivers who met the Minister claimed that they faced daily harassment, fines, and legal confusion even as they provided affordable, last-mile connectivity to lakhs of commuters. They called on the government to formally recognize bike taxis as a legal mode of transport and implement a structured policy framework.

“We are not criminals — we are workers trying to earn a living with dignity,” said Ramesh K., a bike taxi driver and member of the association. “Every day we live in fear. If bike taxis are legal in Delhi and Maharashtra, why are we being denied the right to work here in Karnataka?”

The petition emphasised that many drivers are students, single parents, or former salaried workers who had turned to bike taxis after losing jobs during the pandemic. They stressed that without clear regulation, thousands could lose their sole source of income, putting their survival in the city at risk.