Bengaluru: Rapido has received a five-year licence from the Karnataka State Transport Authority to operate cab services in the state under the Karnataka On-Demand
Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016. The licence will remain valid until August 2031.
The approval gives Rapido a formal regulatory framework for its cab operations in Karnataka, where the company already has a presence across 21 cities. According to the company, it supports more than 3.14 lakh captains in the state and has over 2.04 crore registered customers. More than 69 lakh users in Karnataka have taken cab rides through Rapido.
What the Karnataka licence means for Rapido
The licence covers Rapido’s cab services in Karnataka and allows the company to continue operating under the state’s aggregator rules.
Rapido currently operates in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Davangere, Shivamogga, Ballari, Kalaburagi, Tumakuru and other cities in the state.
The company has also been included in Karnataka’s Urban Mobility Mission, which focuses on commuter access, first and last-mile connectivity, transport technology and service reliability.
Rapido co-founder Pavan Guntupalli said, “We welcome the grant of the licence under the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016, for cab services.”
He added that the company plans to continue working with the state government and Transport Department under the regulatory framework.
Karnataka remains a key market for app-based cabs
The licence comes at a time when Karnataka continues to tighten and formalise rules around app-based transport services.
Rapido has expanded beyond bike taxis over the years and now offers cabs and auto-rickshaw services in multiple cities. In Karnataka, the fresh licence places its cab operations under a clearer regulatory structure until 2031.
