Bengaluru's Traffic Crisis Deepens After Rapido, Ola, Uber Bike Taxi Ban
Bengaluru's notorious traffic has reached unprecedented levels of congestion following the Karnataka High Court's decision to uphold the state government's ban on bike taxi services. Officially enforced on June 16, 2025, the ban has eliminated a vital transportation option that thousands of commuters relied upon to navigate the city's chronically congested roads.
Within days of implementation, residents reported a dramatic worsening of traffic conditions, with many claiming their daily commute times have increased by nearly five times. The absence of bike taxis has forced commuters to switch to private vehicles or auto-rickshaws, adding significantly more vehicles to already choked roads and creating a perfect storm of gridlock across the city.
The timing of the ban has proven particularly disastrous as it coincides with Bengaluru's ongoing infrastructure challenges, including dug-up roads, narrow lanes, missing U-turns, limited metro access, and inadequate public transport options. For a city already struggling with over 1.2 crore registered vehicles on roads designed for far fewer, the sudden removal of a key mobility solution has pushed the traffic situation from merely difficult to nearly unmanageable.
The Legal Roadblock
The bike taxi ban stems from an April 2025 Karnataka High Court ruling that declared bike taxi operations by aggregators illegal under the current legal framework. Justice B.M. Shyam Prasad ordered all bike taxi operations to cease within six weeks, with the deadline extended to June 15. Despite appeals from major operators like Ola, Uber, and Rapido, a division bench led by Acting Chief Justice V. Kameswar Rao refused to stay the order.
The court's decision hinged on the state government's refusal to frame rules regulating bike taxi services under the Motor Vehicles Act. Transport officials have consistently maintained that using privately registered two-wheelers for commercial passenger transport violates existing motor vehicle laws. The court also referenced a 2019 expert committee report highlighting traffic and safety risks associated with bike taxis.
On the first day of enforcement, transport authorities seized over 100 bike taxis across 11 Regional Transport Office jurisdictions in Bengaluru. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy noted that some aggregators attempted to circumvent the ban by rebranding their services as "parcel delivery" options.
Commuters Bear the Brunt
The immediate impact on daily commuters has been severe and multifaceted. Auto-rickshaw and taxi fares have surged dramatically, by up to 25 percent in some cases, as demand outstrips supply. Many commuters report paying nearly double their usual fares, with some spending up to ₹500-700 daily just on transportation.
Sukrutha Shavanak, a regular commuter, noted that a short 4 km ride from Singasandra to Electronics City now costs ₹180, almost as much as an 8 km journey. Another commuter, Prathiksha Harish, shared that her usual ₹350 ride to work has jumped to ₹440 since the ban took effect.
Beyond the financial strain, the time cost has been equally punishing. Bengaluru, already ranked as the third slowest city globally for traffic with an average time of 34 minutes to cover just 10 km, has seen these times increase further. Social media platforms have been flooded with frustrated residents sharing their experiences.
"You block bike taxis with no proper roads, dug-up and narrow lanes, missing U-turns, zero metro access in many areas, limited public buses, and no footpaths to walk," wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter). "Bangalore's traffic has increased almost 4/5x with everyone taking out their car or booking an auto. What a genius move."
Economic Ripple Effects
The ban has created significant economic consequences beyond just commuter inconvenience. Over six lakh bike taxi drivers across Karnataka have lost their primary source of income, with many forced to take up lower-paying daily-wage jobs. The Bike Taxi Welfare Association of Bengaluru reports that most drivers have been severely impacted financially, with limited alternative employment options.
From a broader economic perspective, the increased congestion and transportation costs affect productivity across the city. Bengaluru, India's IT capital, relies on efficient mobility for its workforce. Extended commute times translate to reduced working hours and increased stress for employees, potentially impacting the city's economic output.
Industry analysts suggest that Karnataka could be missing out on up to ₹85 crore annually in potential permit fees and GST revenue that could have been generated through regulated bike taxi services. Additionally, the ban gives more pricing power to cab aggregators and auto drivers, potentially leading to sustained higher transportation costs for consumers.
Searching for Solutions
In response to the growing mobility crisis, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is planning to roll out a fleet of non-air-conditioned express buses that will make fewer stops and take advantage of city flyovers to shorten travel times. These services will target long-distance routes with slightly higher fares than regular buses but will still accommodate women passengers under the state's Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel to women across Karnataka.
The Karnataka government has also announced longer-term infrastructure projects to address the city's chronic traffic issues. These include constructing nearly 100 kilometers of signal-free corridors across 17 key locations at an estimated cost of ₹12,000 crore. Additionally, plans for the Yellow Line Metro, expected to launch in early 2025, and an 18-km north-south tunnel road connecting Hebbal flyover to Silk Board junction could provide some relief.
However, these infrastructure solutions will take time to implement, leaving commuters to navigate the immediate crisis with limited options. Some residents have called for the government to reconsider the bike taxi ban and instead develop a regulatory framework that addresses safety concerns while preserving this vital mobility option.
As Bengaluru continues to add approximately 2,000 new vehicles to its roads each day, the need for diverse, efficient transportation alternatives has never been more urgent. The bike taxi ban has highlighted the fragility of the city's transportation ecosystem and the critical importance of comprehensive urban mobility planning that considers all stakeholders from commuters and drivers to businesses and the environment.