BENGALURU: The Transport Department intensified its crackdown on illegal bike taxi operations on Thursday, inspecting 220 two-wheelers across Bengaluru. Officials booked 71 bike taxis for alleged violations and seized 70 vehicles on the second day of the special enforcement drive.
Even as the enforcement continued, the Bike Taxi Welfare Association alleged that several drivers were harassed during the operation.
Association representative Manoj claimed that some auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, claiming to assist transport officials, were booking rides through apps, intercepting bike taxi riders and allegedly snatching their mobile phones in the absence of Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials.
Auto unions defended their stand, saying tensions had arisen because illegal bike taxi operations were affecting their livelihoods. Rudramurthy of the Auto Rickshaw Drivers Union (ARDU) said, “We are not against bike taxis as a concept. If the government frames rules and allows them with proper yellow-board commercial registration and permits, we have no objection.”
He noted that states such as Goa and Puducherry have notified regulations for bike taxi services and urged Karnataka to adopt a similar policy.