Bengaluru police crack down on Rapido bike-taxis for running service illegally

Several officials stated that the company did not have the appropriate permissions to run the bike taxi service.

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The Bengaluru city cyber crime police took up an investigation against Rapido bike taxis for running their services illegally through an app without permission. A preliminary inquiry has been taken up by the city police.

According to reports, police are yet to file an FIR, however, the Deputy transport commissioner from Bangalore Central Regional Transport Office (RTO) has filed a complaint stating that Rapido is running the bike taxi service illegally.

“We had issued notices to Rapido directing the company to immediately suspend the bike taxi services. The department is not satisfied with their response and would be taking legal steps to ensure they stop the operations,” the additional commissioner of transport, Narendra Holkar, stated to the Economic Times.

At least 170 Rapido bike taxis have been seized by officials according to the Joint Commissioner (Enforcement) Gnanendra Kumar. A total of 24 bikes were taken on Wednesday and another 18 on Thursday. The commissioner added that a charge sheet would be filed and the bikes’ registrations will be cancelled.

Several officials have stated that no authority had given the company the appropriate permissions to run the bike taxi services, and that immediate action would be taken against the company.

Earlier, officials had cracked down on illegally-run bike taxis operated by Ola. It is expected that a fine will be charged against Rapido as was done with Ola. The department had taken 250 vehicles which belonged to Ola and fined Rs 6,000 per vehicle amounting to Rs 15 lakh in total.

Ola was initially banned for six months following the confirmation of the illegally operated bike taxis. An order issued on March 18 by officials revoked the licence which had been issued to Ani Technologies Private Limited, Ola Cabs. Officials later revoked the ban and retained the fine on the company.