Rapido claims to facilitate one million bike taxi rides daily in Bengaluru.
Credit: DH FILE PHOTO
Bengaluru: Ride-hailing firm Rapido stated on Tuesday that the Transport Department's decision to withdraw the electric bike taxi scheme does not concern its "general bike taxi services".
It said the government order "nowhere mentions banning Rapido or any other aggregator operating under the protection of the high court order". The court restrained the government from taking any coercive action against the firm or its riders.
The firm hoped the department would grant contract carriage permits to two-wheelers and bike taxis in line with the Motor Vehicles Act and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways advisory on January 22, 2024.
On March 6, Karnataka scrapped the Electric Bike Taxi Scheme 2021, citing its "blatant misuse". It noted that private two-wheelers (white-board registration) were being used as e-bike taxis in violation of the scheme.
It also cited issues related to women's safety, law and order, and the impact on government bus operations.
Rapido, which claims to facilitate one million bike taxi rides daily in Bengaluru, said the now-scrapped scheme pertained to battery-operated electric motorcycles or bikes.
The Transport Department had declined to issue a general bike taxi licence to Rapido, saying using private two-wheelers as bike taxis is illegal under the Motor Vehicles Act.
It introduced the electric bike taxi scheme in July 2021 to regulate the sector. Licences under the scheme were given to Ola and other firms that had their own e-bike taxis.