Karnataka: Transport Minister Defends Bike Taxi Crackdown Amidst HC Ban

Bengaluru: Karnataka Minister for Transport Ramalinga Reddy has defended the crackdown on motorbike taxis running within the state following a High Court order, pointing out that they’re running motorbike taxis within the identify of courier and parcel services and products, so motion will probably be taken.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Minister Reddy said, “Bike taxis are banned by the High Court. We have submitted the state government’s stand on this matter to the court. Officers are taking action because bike taxis are operating under the pretext of offering courier and parcel services.”

He mentioned that the High Court had given six weeks to halt motorbike taxi services and products. “That period has expired, and our officers are initiating action in this regard,” he mentioned.

Karnataka Transport and police government introduced a crackdown on motorbike taxi services and products in Bengaluru and different district headquarters on Monday, performing on a directive from the prime court docket. On Monday by myself, RTO officials in Bengaluru seized 103 motorbike taxis.

About the pressure towards motorbike taxis, RTO Additional Commissioner Mallikarjuna said that the Karnataka High Court had already declared motorbike taxi services and products unlawful, obviously pointing out that no provision within the legislation lets in their operation.

“We started the crackdown on bike taxis. Two-wheelers with white license plates cannot be used for commercial purposes. Along with white-plate two-wheelers, white-plate cars are also not allowed for commercial purposes,” he said.

The Transport Department had no longer allowed motorbike taxi services and products up to now, and there’s no criminal provision for them. He warned that if the High Court order is not adopted, the crackdown will proceed.

Meanwhile, the Namma Bike Taxi Association has written to the Leader of the Opposition within the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in quest of their pressing intervention to revoke the ban.

The letter underlines the livelihood disaster that might hit over one lakh motorbike taxi riders around the state.

Popular app-based aggregators have already curtailed their services and products in Karnataka, proscribing operations to parcel deliveries.

The crackdown follows the prime court docket determination closing Friday, which declined to stick a single-judge bench order directing the cessation of motorbike taxi services and products. A department bench, headed by means of Acting Chief Justice V. Kameshwara Rao and Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar, prolonged the cut-off date for halting services and products to June 15 and posted the subject for additional listening to on June 24.

The previous order, issued on April 2 by means of Justice B. Shyam Prasad, held that motorbike taxi aggregators can not function in Karnataka until the state notifies tips underneath Section 3 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and frames the essential regulations.

The order got here in accordance with petitions by means of more than a few firms, which sought extra time to wind down services and products.