Bike taxi riders detained during protest at Vidhana Soudha against suspension of services
Bengaluru, Jun 21 (PTI): A group of bike taxi riders protesting outside the Vidhana Soudha here on Saturday against the suspension of its operations following a Karnataka High Court directive, were detained by the police here.
They sought urgent government intervention to lift the blanket ban and introduce a regulatory framework to govern bike taxi services.
According to the police, soon after they gathered in front of Vidhana Soudha, they were detained and dispersed from the spot by the police.
A case has also been registered against them for violating guidelines and attempting to protest in front of Vidhana Soudha without any prior permission.
The riders urged the state government to introduce a clear policy that would allow them to resume operations while addressing safety and regulatory concerns.
They stressed that bike taxis are an important part of Karnataka’s transport ecosystem, providing jobs to thousands. Riders believe that with the right rules in place, bike taxis can continue to benefit everyone.
Earlier this month, a division bench of the Karnataka High Court refused to stay an earlier single-judge order that suspended bike taxi services in the state. The division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice V Kameshwar Rao and Justice Sreenivas Harish Kumar, was hearing appeals filed by Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd, ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd (which operates Ola), and Roppen Transportation Services Pvt Ltd (which operates Rapido), among others.
The companies had challenged the April 2 ruling that directed them to halt bike taxi services within six weeks. The deadline was later extended till June 15. The single judge had observed that such services cannot operate unless the state government notifies specific rules and guidelines under the Motor Vehicles Act.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
