A new player has emerged in the Bengaluru ride-hailing space with the Nagara Metered Car, which was launched in June and is supported by the Karnataka Drivers Council. The service aims to reintroduce rice culture in the city, offering rides at a government-fixed price.

The NMA’s Shivanna said the goal is to crack down on ride-hailing apps for car drivers and others and rebuild trust and reliability in taxis.
“After conducting many surveys in cities and talking one-on-one with autonomous taxi drivers, we came to the conclusion that taxis work best,” Shivanna explained to Deccan Herald. “Many automated taxi drivers have told us that they have been cheated by other ride-hailing apps and would rather go back to using taxis.”
How to use and challenge
Unlike traditional ride-hailing apps, Nagara Metered Auto stands out in that it operates primarily through a website and WhatsApp chatbot, eliminating the need for riders to download a separate mobile app. However, drivers will need to download an app to sign up and use the service.
The fare structure is simple: Rs 30 for the first 2km and Rs 15 for every kilometre after that, strictly adhering to the rate set by the government. To book a trip, users simply text “Hi” to their WhatsApp number. They will receive a one-time PIN (OTP), valid for eight minutes, to start street hailing. Alternatively, drivers registered on the app can be identified by the brand logo on the car, and they can start their journey using a QR code unique to street-side hailing passengers. While the Nagara Metered Auto concept has a bright future, it still faces teething problems. DH’s attempts to hail rides in areas such as MG Road, Indiranagar, Okalipuram and Sheshadripuram were reportedly unsuccessful as the site failed to assign drivers. Most of the automated ride-hailing drivers, especially those from Yeshwantpur, Nandini Layout and Whitefield districts are registered, but driver awareness is still low.
The government cracked down hard on motorcycle
At the same time, Bangalore’s ride-hailing industry is facing new regulatory scrutiny. Following a massive protest by the Federation of Private Transport Associations in Karnataka, the state transport department has announced plans to crack down on motorbikes operating illegally in the city. In March, the Karnataka government banned the operation of electric motorcycles in the state because they were “unsafe for women”. union
The advertisement’s demands also include implementing a “one city, one price” policy, issuing permits for school buses and school buses, regulating commissions for private taxi aggregators and controlling the price of vehicle tracking devices.