Bengaluru: Rapido has received a five-year licence from the Karnataka State Transport Authority (KSTA) to continue and expand its cab services in the state. The approval will remain valid until August 2031, giving the ride-hailing company greater regulatory certainty in one of its most important markets.
The licence has been granted to Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, the company behind Rapido, under the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016.
Rapido said the long-term approval will offer more stability to both its drivers, known as captains, and customers while allowing the company to grow its cab operations within Karnataka’s regulatory framework.
Rapido Covers 21 Cities in Karnataka
Rapido currently operates in 21 cities across Karnataka, according to figures shared by the company.
The platform said it has more than 3.14 lakh captains and over 2.04 crore registered customers in the state. More than 69 lakh people have also used Rapido’s cab services across Karnataka, the company said.
With the new licence, Rapido aims to strengthen its presence in the state’s urban mobility sector while focusing on safety, service quality and technology-led transportation.
Company Added to Urban Mobility Mission
The Karnataka government has also included Rapido in its Urban Mobility Mission. The initiative is expected to involve collaboration between the platform and the state on areas such as commuter access, urban transportation, technology, safety and service reliability.
Rapido co-founder Pavan Guntupalli said Karnataka remains a key market for the company and its home state.
He said the licence would help Rapido further develop its cab business while working with the government and Transport Department to follow the state’s regulatory requirements.
Guntupalli also said that clear and predictable regulations can benefit passengers, drivers, mobility companies and the government.
Rapido’s Presence Across Karnataka
Rapido’s services are available across several major and emerging cities in the state, including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Davangere, Shivamogga, Ballari, Kalaburagi and Tumakuru.
The five-year licence gives Rapido a clearer operating roadmap as India’s app-based mobility sector continues to expand.
For commuters, the approval could also mean greater continuity of Rapido’s cab services across Karnataka, while drivers may benefit from a more stable regulatory environment.
