Karnataka’s clampdown on bike taxis kicked in on June 16, forcing aggregators like Rapido to halt operations across the State after the High Court refused to stay the government’s directive. The ban will remain in place until the State formulates a regulatory framework for the sector. Rapido, one of the largest players in the space, notified users via its app that it was pausing services ‘in compliance with recent High Court orders.’

“Starting June 16, 2025, our Bike Taxi services in Karnataka will be paused in compliance with recent High Court orders. While we deeply believe in the value bike taxis bring to daily commuters, we respect the law and will fully abide by the directive. We remain committed to the communities we serve and hopeful for a future where convenient, affordable mobility is accessible to all. We are navigating the way forward with the government to bring your favourite bike taxis back on the road soon,” read the notification.

This comes after the Karnataka High Court’s division bench on Friday refused to stay a single-judge order that had directed bike taxi operators to suspend their services across the State. This means the court has decided not to interfere with the earlier ruling, which remains in effect.

The April 2 order had given bike taxis 6 weeks to halt their operations in the State which was then extended until June 15.

Currently, the Rapido app shows only the ‘bike parcel’ option with regular bike rides unavailable. Similarly, Uber also shows the option of ‘moto courier’ in its app and Ola has removed the option of bike from its platform.

The division bench has issued notices to the State and others and will seek replies until June 20. A hearing is scheduled to take place on June 24.

Industry bodies like National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) and Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) requested the State government to roll back the ban and called for a comprehensive bike taxi policy to aid the lakhs of drivers dependent on such operations.

Rapido had noted that a blanket ban in the absence of regulation would directly impact the livelihoods of over 6 lakh people across Karnataka. The company also submitted that it had disbursed over ₹700 crore to captains and paid over ₹100 crore in GST contributions across categories in Bengaluru over the last years.

(Filed by bl intern Nethra Sailesh)

Published on June 16, 2025