Karnataka allows operation of EV two-wheelers as bike taxis under its Electric Bike Taxi Scheme, 2021. The regulations, however, require the EV to be registered as a motorcycle in the transport category and used as a public service vehicle. On Saturday, Ola co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal had announced that the EV maker was re-starting Ola Bike, the companys two-wheeler taxi service, in Bengaluru.
Sanjana Koujalgi, an IT employee who frequently commutes using aggregator applications, questioned the effectiveness of ensuring safety after the ride is completed. She stressed the importance of stricter background checks for employees and providing workshops to riders who have been flagged for inappropriate behaviour. She cited a recent incident where a 30-year-old woman had to jump off a moving Rapido bike to protect herself from a rider who attempted to sexually harass her.
Bengaluru Auto-Bike Taxi Tussle: The CCTV footage showed the software professional speaking to the auto driver for a few minutes before eventually walking away. Later, the auto driver suddenly crashed his vehicle on him