Karnataka bike taxi ban kicks in; Rapido says it’s pausing operations

Karnataka’s ban on bike taxis came into effect on June 16 after the high court refused to stay an order that directed aggregators to halt operations till the state framed rules to regulate the service.

A spot check by Moneycontrol revealed that Rapido had removed its bike taxi option in Karnataka from its app, replacing it with a “bike parcel” service. The app also had a message for users: “Starting June 16, 2025, our bike taxi services in Karnataka will be paused in compliance with recent High Court orders.”

Also read: Karnataka: Bike taxi association writes to Siddaramaiah, Rahul Gandhi; seeks rollback of ban

“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,” it added.

Uber, too, has withdrawn its ‘Moto’ bike taxi option and replaced it with a ‘Moto Parcel’ icon.

“Uber has taken the difficult decision to suspend bike taxi operations in Karnataka from June 16 following an order from the Hon’ble High Court. This will negatively impact the many thousands of riders who rely on bike taxis for their daily mobility needs, as well as the many thousands of drivers who rely on the service for their livelihood," Uber Spokesperson said in a statement.

"We will continue engaging with the Government of Karnataka to help shape a progressive policy framework that enables safe, accessible, and affordable mobility options for everyone," Uber Spokesperson added.

Also read: Karnataka bike taxi ban: Rapido says it continues to engage with state govt, seeks viable policy framework

Transport department officials told Moneycontrol that action will be taken against violators. “We have made our stand clear in the High Court. We will follow the court’s order and enforce the ban,” transport minister Ramalinga Reddy said.

Ahead of the ban, the Namma Bike Taxi Association wrote to chief minister Siddaramaiah and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, urging them to intervene and stop the move, warning that it would adversely affect thousands of gig workers across the state.

Labour minister Santosh Lad, however, told Moneycontrol, “We have not received any representation from the bike taxi association yet. Most gig workers are involved in deliveries. The decision to ban taxis is taken by the transport department - the labour department is not involved.”

Also read: No bike taxis in Karnataka from June 16 as High Court refuses to stay single judge order

On June 13, a division bench led by acting Chief Justice V Kameswar Rao issued notices to the state and others, seeking replies by June 20, on a plea against the ban. The case will be heard on June 24. Ola and Uber have challenged an April 2 order of a single judge bench that banned bike taxis in the state in the absence of rules to regulate the service under the Motor Vehicles Act. The deadline for the ban, initially six weeks, was later extended to June 15.