Bengaluru: A group of bike taxi riders in Karnataka staged a protest outside Vidhana Soudha, demanding government intervention to lift the ban on their services. The ban was imposed following a Karnataka High Court directive due to the lack of state-level regulations.

The police responded to the protest, detaining the bike taxi riders soon after they gathered in front of Vidhana Soudha. The protesters were dispersed from the spot, and a case was registered against them for violating guidelines and protesting without prior permission. Despite this, the riders urged the state government to introduce a clear policy that would allow them to resume operations while addressing safety and regulatory concerns.

The riders emphasized the importance of bike taxis to Karnataka's transport ecosystem, providing jobs to thousands. They believe that with the right rules in place, bike taxis can continue to benefit everyone.

The protest follows a High Court order upholding the suspension of bike taxi services. The court had observed that such services cannot operate unless the state government notifies specific rules and guidelines under the Motor Vehicles Act.

The bike taxi riders are seeking urgent government intervention to lift the blanket ban and introduce a regulatory framework. They hope that this will enable them to resume operations and continue providing essential services to the people of Karnataka.

Earlier, a division bench of the Karnataka High Court, chaired by Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar, upheld a single-judge order suspending bike taxi services in the state. The court's decision came after companies like Uber, Ola, and Rapido appealed the earlier ruling, which directed them to halt services due to the absence of state regulations. Despite the appeal, the court refused to stay the order, paving the way for the current protests by bike taxi riders.

With inputs from PTI