Bengaluru and Kolkata share striking similarities in traffic woes and road infrastructure. In 2024, TomTom ranked Kolkata the world’s second-most congested city, while Bengaluru placed third. Average travel time for 10 km was nearly identical—34 minutes in Bengaluru and 34.5 in Kolkata—with annual rush-hour delays exceeding 110 hours in both cities. Narrow roads and overwhelming vehicle density define them, but their policy responses diverge sharply.
Kolkata is expanding choices to improve mobility. Besides India’s largest suburban rail and the country’s oldest, fast-growing metro, it offers iconic yellow taxis, auto-rickshaws, e-rickshaws, ride-hailing apps, and widely available bike taxis. The state framed rules regulating bike taxis as early as 2016, requiring permits and oversight.
Bengaluru, in contrast, is constricting options. Metro expansion drags on, suburban railway plans have stalled, BMTC buses are inconsistent, and pothole-riddled roads hamper commutes. E-rickshaws never launched, and bike taxis are banned altogether.
Karnataka argues that the Motor Vehicles Act bars private two-wheelers from operating commercially. After winning a court ruling upholding the ban, the government refused to issue guidelines, apparently bowing to auto unions.
Meanwhile, commuters suffer exorbitant fares—Rs 500 for 10 km is common—while lakhs of bike taxi drivers have lost work and congestion worsens.
The Centre’s new Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, now empower states to permit bike taxi aggregation. Karnataka can no longer cite regulatory gaps as an excuse.
It’s time the state prioritized solving Bengaluru’s last-mile connectivity crisis over appeasing entrenched interests and drew lessons from Kolkata’s pragmatic model.