BENGALURU: Bike taxi riders in the city have alleged a pattern of targeted harassment in which groups of auto drivers book bike taxis and confront riders at pick-up points, attempting to intimidate them into stopping work.
According to multiple riders, when they reach the pick-up point, auto drivers gather around them, create chaos, and pressurise to cancel the trip, delete the app, and abandon the job. Riders say they are being deliberately singled out, turning routine trips into tense and intimidating encounters.
Syed Lukman, a bike taxi rider, recounted being called to a location through a booked ride and then confronted by a group of auto drivers. “They told me to delete the application and not to do this job, saying we are taking away their livelihood,” he said. Lukman added that he was not physically harmed but was warned that they would not spare him if he continued working.
The fear of such confrontations has forced many bike taxi riders to alter their daily operations. Several riders now park metres away from the designated pick-up point and wait for customers to approach them, while others avoid certain areas altogether. They say these precautions are necessary to avoid being surrounded, threatened, or drawn into arguments.
Ravi (name changed), a bike taxi rider said, “We are usually alone, and the confrontation leads to unnecessary arguments. We are scared to accept requests in some areas because they may gang up on us,” he added, noting that the anxiety has become part of his daily work.
While riders emphasise that not all auto drivers are involved, they allege that some groups continue to gang up and create fear among bike taxi riders, raising serious concerns about their safety and the effectiveness of the High Court order permitting their operations.
Cabbies demand uniform market regulation of taxis and fares
Karnataka App-based Worker’s Union (KAWU) and the Swabhimani Chalakara Trade Union (SCTU) launched a coordinated “Uninstall Rapido” campaign, seeking government regulation of bike taxi services and a level playing field for licensed auto-rickshaw and cab drivers.
The KAWU and SCTU describe the protest as digital non-cooperation against alleged illegal operations and declining driver incomes, and that their demand is regulation, not a blanket ban on bike taxis. Union leaders alleged that two-wheelers with private number plates are being used for commercial passenger services in violation of transport norms, creating an unregulated market that undermines drivers operating under commercial permits.
Rapido singled out as the first target, with unions claiming it pioneered bike taxi operations, prompting similar services from other platforms. Mohammed Inayath Ali, president of KAWU, said the campaign seeks enforcement of existing laws. “We are not against technology or new services.
But when private vehicles operate commercially without following transport rules, it directly affects the livelihood of registered drivers,” he said. Devraj, general secretary of SCTU, said drivers’ earnings have sharply declined, and rising fuel costs and compliance expenses further strain livelihoods. He said, “Earlier we could earn Rs 1,500 a day.
Now even Rs 500 is difficult. Single passengers prefer bike taxis, and autos are booked only when there are multiple passengers or luggage.” The unions also alleged that app-based fare systems are opaque and often fall below government-notified rates.
They claim more than 1,500 workers already uninstalled the app as part of the protest. Representatives warned that the campaign could expand to other aggregators if authorities fail to enforce transport rules and prevent illegal onboarding of private vehicles. They are planning a large-scale protest and intend to submit a memorandum demanding fare regulation, and social security protections for gig workers.