Bike taxi ban stirs up fresh controversy: Plaint against Pai for backing service

Bengaluru,

NT Bureau

The contentious issue of bike taxi services in Karnataka has taken a fresh turn with prominent entrepreneur and former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai coming under fire for supporting the now-banned service. The Karnataka Private Transport Associations’ Federation has filed a police complaint against Pai, accusing him of ‘provoking’ the public in defiance of a High Court order banning bike taxis.

Federation president Nataraj Sharma complained to the Vidhana Soudha police station, alleging that Pai’s recent tweet in favour of bike taxis amounts to contempt of court. “Does a globally reputed business- man like Mohandas Pai not understand the law? Despite a High Court ban, he has tweeted in favour of the service. This is a deliberate attempt to provoke people,” Sharma said. The High Court had earlier quashed permissions for bike taxis in the state, citing regulatory and safety concerns. Following the ruling, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) launched a crackdown on two-wheeler taxi services operating in Bengaluru and other urban areas. However, the public debate remains intense.

Supporters argue that bike taxis offer affordable and accessible last-mile transport solutions in traffic- congested cities. The opponents, especilly autorickshaw and cab driver unions, claim that the services are unregulated, unsafe, and cut into their livelihoods. Adding to the controversy, some bike taxi riders staged a protest near Vidhana Soudha despite knowing that demonstrations are only permitted at Freedom Park. “This is a clear violation of the law. We’ve not only filed a complaint against Mohandas Pai, but also urged the police to act against those staging illegal protests,” said Sharma.