With the Karnataka authorities and Rapido caught in a tug of battle over bike taxi operations, Aravind Sanka, co-founder of the ride-hailing app, urged the authorities on Wednesday to be extra adaptive to modifications within the mobility sector and contemplate drawing up a bike-taxi coverage.
“There are two essential points for a number of companies: the coverage regime and its alignment with the tempo of enterprise evolution. There’s typically a spot between how shortly companies evolve and how briskly insurance policies adapt. Bridging this hole is likely one of the largest challenges,” Sanka mentioned on the Bengaluru Tech Summit on Wednesday.
He added: “Nonetheless, over time, we’ve noticed a rising acceptance of change. The federal government has proven a constructive angle towards updating insurance policies, though the tempo of those modifications can typically be gradual. For instance, with 5 lakh drivers on our platform, guaranteeing insurance policies align with their livelihoods is essential. Insurance policies that don’t account for this may negatively influence 1000’s of individuals counting on the platform. We’re actively participating with the federal government to advocate for sooner and extra adaptable coverage modifications to handle these issues.”
The Karnataka Excessive Courtroom has reserved its judgment on an utility filed by Rapido’s father or mother firm searching for a route for the federal government to register two-wheelers as transport autos.
It’s prone to pronounce the judgment within the first or second week of December.
Rapido additionally wished the courtroom to put aside a authorities order of July 19, 2021, that opposed bike-taxi operations.
In 2021, the courtroom issued an interim order stopping authorities from taking any coercive actions in opposition to the platform’s bike taxis.
Rapido has argued that with over 10 lakh bike taxi riders and round 20 lakh rides each week, its operations have performed a vital function within the state’s transportation ecosystem.
Nonetheless, the federal government has contended that the operation of motorcycle taxis with white quantity plates violates the Karnataka Motor Automobile Guidelines.
It has additionally cited lack of security measures for passengers on bike taxis.
Autorickshaw drivers say bike taxis working illegally
Autorickshaw drivers argue that the bike taxis are working illegally in Bengaluru and that their low-cost mobility mannequin has “devastated” a number of autorickshaw drivers’ livelihoods.
The tussle between autorickshaw drivers and bike taxis had led to bodily confrontations within the metropolis.
In response to a petition filed by the Bike Taxi Welfare Affiliation, the excessive courtroom in April directed the federal government to crack down on autorickshaw drivers who assault, intimidate, or harass Rapido bike drivers.
