Women bike taxi drivers from Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A group of 40 women bike taxi drivers submitted a petition to the Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Tuesday, urging the government to reconsider the State-wide ban on bike taxi services.

The petition follows a Karnataka High Court directive on April 2, mandating the cessation of all bike taxi operations. The High Court of Karnataka directed Rapido, Ola, and Uber to stop operating their bike taxi services within six weeks.

The court clarified that unless the State government notifies the relevant guidelines under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the relevant rules framed under this provision, Rapido, Ola, and Uber cannot function as bike taxi aggregators.

“The women riders, many of whom depend solely on bike taxi services for their livelihood, appealed to introduce a proper regulatory framework. We also sought temporary permits for compliant operators and a platform for stakeholder consultation to shape inclusive and sustainable policies,” Indrani, a woman bike taxi rider said.