The residents of New Town and Rajarhat have found a solution to transport peeves in the locality in the form of K Bike Taxi, a two-wheeler with a rider who will drive you to your destination. 

“Easy access to transport in the New Town area has been a difficult task, especially during Sundays and other holidays. When we decided to start K Bike Taxi, our focus was to address transport problem in this area,” said Imran Mustafa and Firdous Kalim of Kalim Global Commercial Motor, the co-founders of the bike taxi service. 

K Bike Taxi currently has a fleet of 25 riders. “We are conducting more than 100 rides per day. Now we are awaiting approval to expand to Salt Lake and Sector V and once that happens, we plan to add 25 more bike taxis to our fleet. Women riders will be joining the fleet in June,” said Mustafa and Kalim.

KNOW YOUR WHEELS

What: K Bike Taxi, a one-of-a-kind bike taxi service in the New Town area to help solve conveyance problems for short distances. 

Where: The whole of NKDA area, which includes New Town and Rajarhat. 

How does it work: You can book a K Bike Taxi with their mobile app (available both on Android and iOS), by calling the toll-free number 8820-959595, or by hailing a K Bike Taxi parked on the road at specific spots. One bike can carry one pillion rider only; if you have more passengers with you, you’ll have to book as many bikes. The K Bike Taxi fleet has a specific commercial number plate. The riders are trained and insured, wear a black-and-orange uniform and carry a spare helmet for the pillion rider. For safety, the maximum speed limit for these bikes is 40km per hour. 
Payment options: Cash, Paytm and K Bike Wallet. 
Fare system: You have to pay a minimum of Rs 20 for the first 2km, after which it is Rs 5 per km. 

Text: Zeba Akhtar