Over 500 Bike Taxis Seized in RTO Crackdown Across Electronic City and Bengaluru

Regional Transport Office (RTO) enforcement teams have seized more than 500 unauthorised app-based bike taxis across Bengaluru, with operations focused around major jurisdictions including Electronic City, Bengaluru East, and Bengaluru Central. The week-long enforcement drive has prompted bike taxi operators to alter their travel patterns and pick-up locations to evade inspection checkpoints and prevent vehicle seizures.

According to transport officials, riders operating on aggregator platforms have increasingly avoided high-visibility transit hubs, choosing instead to confine their services to interior neighbourhoods, less-policed pockets, and peripheral areas. Many operators are also taking shorter trips within smaller zones to reduce the likelihood of encountering enforcement squads, while others log off or switch off their apps upon spotting inspection teams.

Enforcement personnel reported that some riders have been using out-of-state vehicle registrations, such as Odisha-registered motorcycles, to complicate roadside checks. In at least one reported incident, a rider attempted to flee as transport officials approached, causing a minor accident before the vehicle was confiscated.

The latest crackdown was initiated after the Karnataka government appealed to the Supreme Court against a January High Court ruling that allowed motorcycles to be considered for contract carriage permits under the Motor Vehicles Act. Transport officials maintain that operating two-wheeler commercial taxi services without valid commercial transport permits remains illegal under current regulations.

Joint Commissioner for Transport (South) Omkareshwari stated that the department is issuing notices to ride-hailing aggregators, including Uber and Rapido, which continue to list bike taxi services while awaiting the Supreme Court verdict. Omkareshwari noted that another enforcement drive is being planned, though tracking app-based services remains challenging as riders quickly adjust routes.

The enforcement comes amid escalating tensions with traditional transport operators. The Federation of Private Transport Organisations recently launched a black flag protest across Bengaluru, giving the state government 15 days to halt unauthorised bike taxis and enforce a standardized fare system. Federation president Nataraj Sharma alleged that aggregators frequently exceed the government-prescribed fare of Rs 18 per kilometre during peak hours and claimed that tip-offs about RTO check locations were being shared in rider communication groups.