A number of bike taxi riders from throughout Karnataka took out a motorbike rally to Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Saturday, urging the state authorities to carry the ban on bike taxis and introduce a regulatory framework to manipulate their operations. Riders from cities together with Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan, Davangere, Tumakuru, Ramanagara, Shivamogga, and Kanakapura participated within the rally.
The protest comes within the wake of the Karnataka Excessive Courtroom’s order directing bike taxi operators to droop operations pending the formation of guidelines beneath Part 93 of the Motor Autos Act by the federal government.
Bike taxi operators claimed that the ban has impacted the livelihoods of greater than six lakh folks throughout the state. Many individuals claimed the ban has pushed them into monetary misery, with no different supply of earnings and rising strain to fulfill fundamental family wants resembling groceries, hire, and faculty charges.
“Earlier than the ban, I might earn sufficient to maintain my household going. Now there’s no cash coming in,” mentioned Ramesh, a rider from Tumakuru. Ravi, a rider from Mysuru, added, “This ban hasn’t simply taken away our jobs – it’s taken away our dignity.”
Other than riders, common commuters have additionally been affected by the absence of motorbike taxis, with issues raised over elevated fares and restricted transport choices. Protesters highlighted that bike taxis had supplied a fast and inexpensive last-mile connectivity possibility in city and semi-urban areas.
Riders have requested the state authorities to formulate a motorbike taxi coverage that “addresses security, registration, and operational tips – related to what’s already in place in 19 different Indian states.”
In the meantime, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has emphasised that the state authorities shouldn’t be inclined in direction of drafting a motorbike taxi coverage and that whiteboard two-wheelers can’t be used for industrial functions.
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Officers of the highway transport workplaces throughout Bengaluru additionally seized 103 bike taxis earlier this week for working regardless of the Karnataka Excessive Courtroom’s directive to droop operations within the state.
The transport division officers have booked the riders of the 103 bike taxis throughout RTO divisions within the central, west, south, north, east, Digital Metropolis, and KR Puram, amongst others.