Drivers’ union urge Centre to challenge HC order lifting bike taxi ban

Mangaluru: The Indian Vehicles Driver Trade Union, Sneha Jeevi Drivers' Trade Union, and the Towner Foundation called on the Union govt to challenge a high court order that lifted the ban on bike taxis, and urged it to file a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court.Speaking to reporters on Friday, N G Santhosh Kumar, president of Sneha Jeevi Drivers' Trade Union, said bike taxis pose serious safety risks to passengers. He alleged that bike taxi-related accidents accounted for 98% of road mishaps, describing the figure as a major concern for public safety and enforcement.
The organisations announced the launch of a campaign to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi opposing the high court decision, which they said favoured unauthorised bike taxi operations. They argued that the Motor Vehicles Act-1988 does not provide clear and direct permission for "bike taxis", and that using two-wheelers for commercial passenger transport without adequate safety measures increases the risk of injuries/ fatalities.Citing accident trends, the coalition said two-wheelers are more prone to crashes and that permitting bike taxis would likely raise the overall rate of road accidents. They also pointed to the apex court observations in earlier cases that holding a licence is not a fundamental right and that state govts have broad authority to regulate transport in the public interest.The groups warned that allowing "unauthorised" bike taxis would undermine licenced auto and taxi drivers who comply with permit rules and pay taxes. They said the move could severely affect livelihoods across the sector and claimed that about 25 lakh driver families in the state could face financial distress if bike taxis are allowed to operate without strict regulation.The unions and the foundation demanded immediate intervention by the Union govt, insisting that the matter be taken to the Supreme Court to restore restrictions on unauthorised bike taxi services.