Struggling to make ends meet: Karnataka bike taxi ban hits six lakh riders hard
Bengaluru: Over six lakh bike taxi riders in Karnataka have been left in a state of deep uncertainty following a High Court directive to stop bike taxi operations in the state. With their primary source of income cut off, many riders now find themselves struggling to meet basic financial obligations.
Bike taxi riders are holding meetings to explore their next steps after nearly six lakh of them have been left jobless, according to the Bike Taxi Welfare Association. Many are now grappling with mounting financial pressures, Deccan Herald reported on Thursday.
Adhinarayana, president of the Bike Taxi Welfare Association, revealed that around 300 riders visit their office in HSR Layout each day seeking support. “We are constantly in touch with them, trying to find a way forward. Shifting to other daily wage jobs will mean we will earn less than before,” DH quoted him as saying.
While the association reportedly met Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy last month, there has been no tangible outcome. “The government has the power to frame rules but has not acted. This has affected both riders and commuters who relied on us,” Adhinarayana added.
Many of these riders have been part of the bike taxi industry since its early days. Shivananda, a native of Belagavi who moved to Bengaluru over a decade ago, has worked as a bike taxi rider since 2018. Before that, he earned Rs 12,000 per month working for a company. A brief stint in food delivery followed, where he earned about Rs 800 per day under demanding and erratic conditions. However, his income had nearly doubled as a bike taxi rider.
For others like Vinayaka, the situation is extremely dire. With no SSLC qualification, job options are extremely limited. “I’ve been sitting at home, desperately hoping something changes. I have to pay my vehicle's EMI, send money home, pay rent as well, but I am unable to manage now,” DH quoted him as saying.
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West Asia: India supplied 22,000 MT of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March, says MEA
New Delhi (PTI): Amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, India has supplied 22,000 metric tonnes of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March and has received a request from Seychelles and the Maldives to meet their energy requirements, the MEA said on Friday.
At his weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in his response to a query related to requests received from India's neighbouring countries for fuel amid the West Asia situation, also said that India is "finalising a government-to-government agreement" for the supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing energy security of Mauritius.
The conflict in West Asia has now stretched to nearly 50 days, with global ramifications.
"So, we have received requests from our neighbouring countries for supply of fuel, and these are being looked into, keeping in mind our own requirements, availability and refining capacity," Jaiswal told reporters.
He further said India has "supplied 22,000 metric tonnes of high-speed diesel to Bangladesh in March 2026, and further supplies have continued this month as well".
"You would recall that last month we had supplied 38 metric tonnes of petroleum products to Sri Lanka as well," he added.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Mauritius last week, the MEA spokesperson said, adding, "We are finalising a government-to-government agreement for supply of oil and gas, which will play an important role in reinforcing the energy security of Mauritius".
As far as Nepal is concerned, there is an existing arrangement between Indian Oil Corporation and Nepal Oil Corporation to supply petroleum products to Nepal as per its requirements. The supplies are continuing without any interruption, he said.
Energy supplies to Bhutan also continue according to the existing arrangement.
"As I had mentioned earlier, we have received a request from Seychelles and the Maldives to meet their energy requirements. We continue to be in touch with them in this regard, and are considering the request keeping in mind our own domestic requirements and availability of fuel.
"I would also like to add that our neighbouring country governments have expressed appreciation for the uninterrupted supply, fuel supply to them during the West Asian conflict," Jaiswal said.
Global oil and gas prices surged after Iran restricted the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman that handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil and LNG trade.
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