India, Aug. 25 -- On Monday, aggregator platforms Uber and Ola removed their bike taxi options from their apps, following a clarification from the Karnataka High Court that it had not issued any order permitting resumption of the service.

According to a report in The Times of India, the court, while hearing a plea by ride-hailing companies Rapido, Uber and Ola, stressed that the state government retains full authority to regulate or act against bike taxi operations under existing laws. This statement prompted Uber and Ola to suspend their services immediately. Rapido, however, continues to operate under the name "Bike Direct," though its legal standing remains uncertain.

For thousands of commuters in Bengaluru, bike taxis had quickly be...