K’taka HC Allows Ola, Uber, Rapido Bike Taxis To Operate Till June 15

Rapido, Ola, and Uber

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday extended the deadline for halting bike taxi services in the state until June 15, providing temporary relief to operators like Rapido, Ola, and Uber.

The extension comes in the wake of the court’s April 2 order, which had directed that all bike taxi operations be shut down within six weeks unless the state introduced formal regulations permitting them. The original deadline was set to expire in May.

Justice B Shyam Prasad, who issued the initial order, had made it clear that bike taxi services could not legally function in the absence of a proper policy framework. However, following the April directive, several affected companies approached the court seeking more time.

Among them was Roppen Transportation Services, the parent company of Rapido, which submitted that it had made formal representations to various state departments and had engaged in discussions with officials regarding the need for a clear policy governing bike taxis.

In its appeal, Roppen emphasized that the government is now actively considering drafting a comprehensive regulatory policy. The proposed framework, they argued, could promote sustainable mobility, improve last-mile connectivity, and help ease urban traffic congestion.

The company also highlighted the impact the ban could have on workers, pointing out that nearly 600,000 bike taxi drivers are currently registered with Rapido alone. Many of these drivers rely on the platform as a primary source of income.

Given the ongoing policy discussions and potential social consequences, the High Court granted the extension until June 15. It is now expected that the state government will expedite its decision on whether to legalize and regulate bike taxi services across Karnataka.