Bengaluru: The ongoing controversy regarding velocipede taxis in Karnataka now seems to be going in a new direction without the High Court's decision. On Friday, the magistrate gave permission to run velocipede taxi services wideness the state. Along with this, the old order was cancelled, due to which platforms like Rapido, Ola and Uber had to stop their velocipede taxi services. This visualization is stuff seen as a relief not only for tech companies but moreover for thousands of riders and urban commuters.
What did the High Magistrate say unmistakably in its decision?
The semester seat said that under the Motor Vehicles Act, two-wheelers can moreover run as contract carriages. In such a situation, the transport department cannot deny registration or a permit by saying that the velocipede cannot be a transport vehicle.
On what understructure were velocipede taxis vetoed earlier?
Earlier in April 2025, a single judge seat had vetoed velocipede taxi services. The magistrate had at that time said that since well-spoken guidelines and state level rules under Section 93 do not exist, aggregators cannot run velocipede taxis.
What arguments did the state government requite regarding the ban?
The government's treatise was that the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregator Rules, 2016 unromantic only to four-wheeler taxis. Apart from this, issues like opposition of wheels and taxi unions, law and order concerns, misuse of white-board vehicles, and women's safety were moreover mentioned.
What did the companies and riders say in the appeal?
Uber, Ola, Rapido, and velocipede taxi drivers said that when the inside law itself allows velocipede taxis, the state government cannot stop it, citing policy. He moreover argued that the e-bike taxi scheme was withdrawn without a touchable study.
What instructions did the High Magistrate requite to the Transport Department?
The magistrate said that velocipede taxi owners can wield to register their vehicles as transport vehicles. The government will have to consider such applications and issue contract transport permits.
What interim relief did the magistrate requite in August 2025?
While the specimen was pending, the semester seat had given oral directions that no strict whoopee should be taken versus individual velocipede taxi drivers and they should not be harassed.
Where will this visualization have the biggest impact?
In cities like Bengaluru, velocipede taxis are considered an important ways of last-mile connectivity. Office goers, students, and wordage workers depend on these services to a unconfined extent.
Why is this visualization important for riders?
The livelihood of thousands of velocipede taxi drivers is linked to these platforms. Their income was unauthentic due to the services stuff sealed for a long time. The court's visualization has given them hope to start working again.
Is this visualization a signal for other states also?
Legal experts believe that this order of the Karnataka High Magistrate can moreover wilt an example for those states where the situation regarding velocipede taxis is not yet clear.
