Auto-rickshaw and cab fares in Bengaluru have surged by up to 25% after the Karnataka High Court ordered a statewide ban on bike taxis on Monday. Commuters across the city are reporting steeper prices and longer wait times on popular ride-hailing platforms like Uber, Ola, and Rapido.
The removal of bike taxis has led to a sharp rise in demand for autos and cabs, prompting dynamic fare hikes. A senior official from a ride-hailing company told Deccan Herald that the fare surge is demand-driven.
Sukrutha Shavanak, a commuter, noted unusually high pricing: a 4 km ride from Singasandra to Electronics City cost ₹180, while an 8 km ride to Jayanagar was just ₹190. She mentioned that the hike began even before the ban.
Tech professional Prathiksha Harish shared that her daily commute from Electronic City to Koramangala 6th Block now costs ₹440, up from ₹350 a few weeks ago. Similarly, a 11 km cab ride from Vajarahalli metro station to Srinagar is now priced above ₹450, compared to the earlier ₹350.
Some riders say auto bookings are only confirmed if a tip is added, making affordable travel harder. Social media is flooded with complaints. One user wrote, “For 2.2 km, auto fare ranges from ₹60 to ₹101. Actual fare is ₹33. How is this justified? And now bike taxis are banned too?”
Meanwhile, over 100 illegal bike taxis were seized on the first day of the enforcement drive.
Read also: