6 lakh bike taxi drivers left jobless after Karnataka bike taxi ban, what now?

Demands for legal clarity and a reversal of the bike ban have taken center stage in Karnataka.

Transcript

00:00Bike Ban and Countless Jobless

00:026 lakh bike taxi drivers have been left jobless after the Karnataka High Court's order

00:07banning bike taxis in the state from 15 June 2025.

00:12As transport aggregators turn to parcel riders, taxi drivers scramble to look at job options,

00:17as the decision leaves lax in a lurch.

00:20Students, single parents and state natives who rely on these jobs have been most affected.

00:24The blanket ban has eliminated the primary income source for lakhs of youth,

00:29especially in urban and semi-urban pockets where job alternatives are limited.

00:32Many drivers have been ferrying passengers for years,

00:35some since the ride-hailing service began in 2015.

00:39In 2024, Karnataka saw over 8 crore bike taxi rides.

00:43Cut to 2025, bike taxi drivers are holding meetings to assess their options,

00:47and moving to newer daily wage jobs means that they will learn less.

00:51Gig-based two-wheeler delivery riders were also the backbone of urban life,

00:55providing timely food, grocery, medicine, and courier deliveries to millions of households.

01:00Sudden restrictions on their operations could trigger widespread disruption.

01:04The absence of bike taxis is also said to be going to significantly reduce last-mile connectivity.

01:09The move also impacts Karnataka's image as an investor-friendly destination.

01:13As four-wheelers continue to operate, the optics could regressively impact India's startup capital.

01:19In the midst of all this and more, do you think this is a sign of development,

01:22or do you deem the ban unnecessary?

01:24Let us know in the comments below.