Stakeholders seek clarity as bike taxis ride through legal grey zone in Kochi

KOCHI: Kochi’s rush hours can be unforgiving: with crowded streets, long queues at metro stations, surge pricing on ride-hailing apps, and less-than-reliable public transport.

It was into this chaos that bike taxis rode in — offering a quick, affordable alternative. But what was viewed as a commuter-friendly solution has hit a roadblock. When platforms such as Uber and Rapido launched services in the city, the response was immediate. Commuters embraced the convenience. Drivers signed up in large numbers. But the optimism was short-lived.