133 bike taxis impounded on first day of crackdown in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: The Transport Department on Friday confiscated 133 bike taxis on the first day of its crackdown on the “illegal” service in the city. 

Twenty-nine of these were electric bike taxis, said C Mallikarjun, Additional Commissioner of Transport (Enforcement, South). 

The crackdown, conducted by 10 Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) and one assistant RTO, came a day after hundreds of auto-rickshaw drivers hit the streets to demand a ban on bike taxis. 

Auto drivers claim bike taxis are taking away their business. 

While the department deems bike taxis illegal, it hadn’t cracked down on them due to a high court order that restrained the authorities from taking any coercive action. In March this year, the state government scrapped the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme, 2021, citing its “blatant misuse”. 

OLA (ANI Technologies), which also makes electric vehicles, is the only ride-hailing firm offering e-bike services in Bengaluru. 

Other bike taxi services offered by Rapido, OLA and Uber are also deemed illegal for using personal vehicles with white registration plates. 

While bike taxi drivers face a minimum penalty of Rs 5,000 and vehicle impoundment, the department didn’t provide details of the amount of penalty collected from the violators. 

The Bike Taxi Welfare Association, Karnataka, has claimed that their operations are protected by high court orders. 

Commissioner for Road Safety and Transport Yogeesh AM declined to comment, saying the matter is sub judice.