BENGALURU: It’s not just the bike taxi firms who are unhappy with the crackdown on the services by the transport department. Commuters who had come to rely upon it as a regular option also want the government to frame proper regulations to allow their operation.
The department seized bike taxis run by Ola in March, and suspended the firm’s licence briefly until it was asked to pay a fine of Rs 15 lakh. It also began seizing bike taxis run by Rapido and sent the company a notice this week.
Commuters, however, say they are back to facing tough times on the road due to the ban. Raghav Shankar, who works at an events management company, relied on bike taxi services to travel between his home and office every day, before the ban was imposed. “I commute from Indiranagar to Sadashivnagar daily. The bike taxis were far cheaper and would cost me Rs 150-200 per day, both ways inclusive. Now, I am forced to use cabs, which are expensive. While a share ride costs Rs 100-150, a regular cab ride comes to Rs 250-300 for one way. So my daily travel cost reaches Rs 500,” Citizens like Shankar now want the government to legalise the service. Bike taxis are more environment friendly, since they consume less fuel, and can go faster, they say.
Agrees Abdul Aleem, a resident of JP Nagar who commutes from Indiranagar Metro station to his office in Murgeshpalya. “While I was earlier spending only Rs 30 to hire a bike from the Metro station to my office, I now use shared services that charge up to three times more,” Aleem said, adding, “They must consider legalising bike taxis as it leads to less traffic congestion. It’s a better option for solo commuters.”