• Source:JND
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The Bengaluru Transport Department on Friday launched a crackdown on illegal taxi services on Friday, confiscating 133 bike taxis across the city. The crackdown comes a day after a massive protest by  Bengaluru's auto and cab drivers on Thursday, who demanded strict action against illegal bike taxis and urged the state transport department to implement a 'one city, one cab fare' policy promptly.

Additional Commissioner of Transport (Enforcement, South), C Mallikarjun, stated that among the seized 133 vehicles, 29 were electric bike taxis. He stated that the crackdown involved 10 Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) and one assistant RTO who carried out the entire operations on Friday in different locations of the city.

While bike taxi drivers face a minimum penalty of Rs 5,000 and vehicle impoundment, the department has not disclosed the total amount of penalties collected during the operations.

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The Karnataka Bike Taxi Welfare Association asserted that their operations are protected by high court orders. Commissioner for Road Safety and Transport Yogeesh AM declined to comment, stating that the matter is under trial.

Despite the department's classification of bike taxis as illegal, a high court order previously restrained authorities from taking coercive action. In March, the state government scrapped the Karnataka Electric Bike Taxi Scheme, 2021, citing its "blatant misuse."

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OLA (ANI Technologies) is currently the only ride-hailing firm offering e-bike services in Bengaluru. Other services provided by Rapido, OLA and Uber are also deemed illegal for using personal vehicles with white registration plates.