How Much Are Bike Taxis Used In Delhi? More Than We¡¯d Think And Here's What's Next To Avoid Ban

The Delhi government on Monday announced a ban on bike taxis with immediate effect. The decision is set to affect cab aggregators such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido, which are popular in the city.

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In a notice, the Delhi transport department said that two-wheelers with non-transport (private) registration marks/numbers are being used to carry passengers, indicating that using personal vehicles as commercial taxis violates the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. Further violations would make aggregators liable for a fine of ?1 lakh, it said.

The move will also affect many customers that rely on two-wheelers via Ola, Uber, and Rapido amid surging fares of cabs. Many also prefer this affordable mode of transport since bikes are more mobile in Delhi's traffic. But let's first understand how many bike taxis are plying in the city and what's next to avoid the ban.

How much are bike taxis used?

Before the ban became effective, three cab aggregators ¡ª Ola, Uber and Rapido ¡ª were offering bike taxis, which had steadily increased in popularity as they were more affordable and faster in traffic than four-wheeler taxis or auto-rickshaws.

Between 5 lakh and 7.5 lakh trips are taken on bike taxis in the national capital every week, Indian Express reported based on data from industry experts.

¡°According to industry estimates, 70,000 to 80,000 drivers across platforms use bike taxis every month in Delhi across ride-sharing platforms,¡± an Uber official said. Bike taxis have gained in popularity because they are cheaper, can move into even narrow lanes where four-wheelers and buses do not go and are fast.

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What's next?

According to officials, the regulatory framework, which the transport department is drafting, will incorporate elaborate safeguards for the safety of passengers and address pollution concerns.

The Delhi government has proposed several measures to regulate the operation of bike taxis in the Capital, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday. The officials said that the transport department has sent the proposals to the legal department for scrutiny and that the rules may soon be notified.

According to the framework, aggregators may have to maintain a fully electric fleet, get drivers verified by police, apply for a licence and permits for drivers, and seek commercial registration of bikes, transport commissioner Ashish Kundra said. He said the vehicles must also be fitted with GPS trackers to ensure passenger safety.

¡°Aggregator policy for two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers is in its final stage and will be rolled out soon, which will help them to apply for licence under the new scheme, transport minister Kailash Gahlot said.

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Why the ban

An official told The Indian Express, "There are no such provisions. As per the current rule, taxi services are where there is a driver and more than one passenger. Under this, only four-wheeler cabs, auto-rickshaws and e-rickshaws are allowed but not bikes."

Additionally, there are no proper arrangements for an emergency button. This poses a threat to women passengers' safety.

Interestingly, the ban only applies to two-wheelers engaged in services of ride-hailing apps like Ola, Uber and Rapido, but not to delivery services such as Swiggy, Zomato or Zepto, who also use private vehicles for commercial activities.

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Meanwhile, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), an industry body, submitted a memorandum to the Delhi government's transport department, asking the government to engage with all stakeholders before taking punitive measures against bike taxi riders. Ashish Kundra, transport commissioner in the Delhi government, said that the government is currently examining IAMAI's request and is yet to initiate any new discussions with the ride-hailing apps or two-wheeler taxi drivers.

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