Updated: Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has clarified that carpooling has not been banned.. It will require a license to operate. He said: “Who told you we have banned? Show me the document. The app-based carpooling services are running. Only one or two have been fined,”
Earlier..
The Karnataka government has announced a prohibition on carpooling in Bengaluru and advised against using carpooling apps. This decision comes in response to complaints from taxi driver associations. The state’s transportation department has labeled the use of whiteboard vehicles for commercial ridesharing as ‘illegal’ and warned that fines ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 may be imposed on those operating carpooling services. Companies like BlaBla Car, Quickride, Rideshare, Commute Easy, and Carpool Adda have been providing carpooling services for people looking to share rides for a fee.
Controversy Erupts Over Carpooling in Bengaluru – Taxi Associations’ Protests and Demands
Carpooling was once seen as a way to reduce the number of vehicles on Bengaluru’s congested roads during peak hours, particularly for IT employees commuting from home to work. However, taxi associations argued that carpooling was impacting their daily income and called on the government to take action. These associations, along with autorickshaw drivers’ unions, recently organized a protest and presented a list of demands to Karnataka’s transport minister, Ramalinga Reddy. One of their main demands is the ban of bike taxis, a matter that the minister has agreed to consider within the bounds of the law.
Bengaluru’s Traffic Woes – Strategies to Tackle Congestion on the Outer Ring Road
Bengaluru, with a population of 11 million, has the highest traffic density of any major city in the country, boasting nearly 12.5 million vehicles, essentially one vehicle for every resident. Recent traffic jams have left many commuters stuck for hours on Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road, which hosts numerous IT parks and global investments. In response, Bengaluru traffic police are in the process of devising strategies to alleviate the frequent congestion on this stretch of road.
