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  • 6/20/2025
Demands for legal clarity and a reversal of the bike ban have taken center stage in Karnataka.
Transcript
00:00Bike Ban and Countless Jobless
00:026 lakh bike taxi drivers have been left jobless after the Karnataka High Court's order
00:07banning bike taxis in the state from 15 June 2025.
00:12As transport aggregators turn to parcel riders, taxi drivers scramble to look at job options,
00:17as the decision leaves lax in a lurch.
00:20Students, single parents and state natives who rely on these jobs have been most affected.
00:24The blanket ban has eliminated the primary income source for lakhs of youth,
00:29especially in urban and semi-urban pockets where job alternatives are limited.
00:32Many drivers have been ferrying passengers for years,
00:35some since the ride-hailing service began in 2015.
00:39In 2024, Karnataka saw over 8 crore bike taxi rides.
00:43Cut to 2025, bike taxi drivers are holding meetings to assess their options,
00:47and moving to newer daily wage jobs means that they will learn less.
00:51Gig-based two-wheeler delivery riders were also the backbone of urban life,
00:55providing timely food, grocery, medicine, and courier deliveries to millions of households.
01:00Sudden restrictions on their operations could trigger widespread disruption.
01:04The absence of bike taxis is also said to be going to significantly reduce last-mile connectivity.
01:09The move also impacts Karnataka's image as an investor-friendly destination.
01:13As four-wheelers continue to operate, the optics could regressively impact India's startup capital.
01:19In the midst of all this and more, do you think this is a sign of development,
01:22or do you deem the ban unnecessary?
01:24Let us know in the comments below.

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