'Please allow bike taxis in Bengaluru, they are providing huge jobs': Mohandas Pai urges Karnataka govt

Mohandas Pai, chairman of Aarin Capital and a vocal advocate for urban mobility, has urged the Karnataka government to reconsider its decision not to allow bike taxi services in Bengaluru, citing employment loss and public inconvenience. 

"Minister DK Shivakumar, Pl allow Bike taxis in Bengaluru. They are providing huge jobs, and very useful service for citizens," Pai wrote in a strongly worded appeal on X. "Our Metro is way behind schedule, bus service inadequate, we cannot have more using personal vehicles. Bike taxis reduce vehicles. Pl intervene, pl allow. Minister Priyank Kharge, Pl help. These are startups. Siddaramaiah, why is our govt hurting citizens like this? This is #AntiCitizen."

In a follow-up post, he added: "Minister DK Shivakumar, Pl step in. Do not deprive citizens of livelihood and citizens of transport. You are our Minister not a Minister for some lobby. Citizens need multiple sources of mobility."

Pai's remarks came in response to the Karnataka government's submission before the High Court that it had taken a “policy decision not to frame rules for the operation of bike taxis”, as stated by Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty. He informed the court that only eight States in India currently permit bike taxis.

The submission was made during a hearing on appeals filed by Uber India, ANI Technologies (which operates Ola), and others offering bike taxi services through platforms like Ola, Uber, and Rapido. 

The legal challenge follows an April 2 judgment by a single judge who ruled that unless the state notifies guidelines under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and corresponding rules, companies cannot function as bike-taxi aggregators. The court had set June 15 as the deadline for Ola, Uber, and Rapido to cease their bike taxi operations.

While the petitioners urged the bench to extend this deadline or prevent coercive action, the bench declined interim relief and adjourned the matter to June 24, urging both sides to be ready without seeking further adjournments.

On social media, other citizens also expressed their concern. One user, Aruna, wrote: "Bad bad decision. Permanently gridlocked Bengaluru needs all the available public transport options including bike taxis. Karnataka needs to look at Asia pac countries, not other India states, to make policy decisions. Can’t imagine life without ojek in Jakarta."

Petitioners have argued that licences issued under the Karnataka On Demand Transport Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016, already permit such services and that existing laws allow registration of two-wheelers with yellow boards for passenger use.