Electric bike taxis banned in Bengaluru from today

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government has banned the running of electric bike taxis in Bengaluru with effect from today. The move comes in the wake of complaints from autorickshaw and cab drivers that bike taxis are hurting their incomes.

The 11 regional transport offices in the city have formed special teams to crack down on bike taxis. If they are found plying, the vehicles will be seized and fines will be levied.

The ban comes after protests by autorickshaw and cab drivers. On Thursday, members of 32 autorickshaw and cab drivers’ union staged a protest in front of the Transport Department office in Shantinagar seeking fulfilment of their various demands. They insisted that they would not vacate till their major demands, including a ban on bike taxis, were met.

Additional Commissioner of the Transport Department, Mallikarjun, said, “The auto and cab drivers have put forth seven major demands. Last year, they had list about 30 demands and the deparment has sorted out most of them. Some of the issues are in court, so there has been a delay”.

Additional Commissioner of Transport, Mallikarjun, briefing the media after the drivers’ protest on Thursday.

“Their first demand was to ban bike taxis. Three months ago, we had introduced one-city-one-fare over the earlier flexible fares. Their second demand was that the single fare has not been introduced. I cannot comment on the bike taxi issue as it is in court, but we will take strick action against those operating electric bike taxis”, he added. Action will also be taken against those operating white board vehicles as taxis, he noted.