BENGALURU: A woman commuter on Wednesday informed the Karnataka High Court that bike taxis are safer, more affordable and convenient for women, in comparison with other modes of public transport, including buses and cabs.
This point, which is contrary to the state government’s contention that bike taxis are unsafe for women, was made before the division bench of acting Chief Justice V Kameswar Rao and Justice CM Joshi during a hearing of appeals by the Bike Taxis Welfare Association, along with Ola, Uber, and Rapido, and owners of two-wheelers, against the order passed by a single judge on April 2.
Senior advocate Jayna Kothari, representing Vishali Sri Lakshmi, another advocate, drew the court’s attention to bike taxis in eight states, where guidelines have been laid down for passenger safety. Background checks, police verification, and a bar on those with criminal cases were among the conditions imposed on riders for operating bike taxis.
It would be more convenient for women commuters if the bike taxi driver is a woman. Some states have given special preference to women bike taxi operators, she said.
While replying to a query of the court on the safety of women bike taxi drivers, when they have to carry male passengers, she submitted that the schemes allow a woman rider to carry only women passengers, and women commuters to opt for bike taxis driven by women. Even if bike taxis are driven by men, it would be safe for women than travelling in public buses and cabs, she argued.
Senior advocate Uday Holla, representing Roppen Transportation Services, which operates Rapido, submitted that bike taxis were being used for last-mile connectivity in Bengaluru. The 2019 report, which was the basis for the state government’s policy to ban bike taxis, was submitted by the erstwhile chairman of the BMRCL, he argued, adding that the ban was a result of the demand made by an association of autorickshaw drivers.