Here are the big stories from Karnataka today
1. Bike taxis are not public transport vehicles, Karnataka tells Supreme Court The Karnataka government on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) submitted in the Supreme Court
1. Bike taxis are not public transport vehicles, Karnataka tells Supreme Court The Karnataka government on Tuesday (August 11, 2026) submitted in the Supreme Court that a State High Court decision to allow bike taxis ignores the low safety standards of motorcycles, higher accident fatality rates, congestion, and their limited utility as public transport vehicles. Karnataka, represented by advocate Sanchit Garga, said the restriction on the use of two-wheelers as taxis was reasonable, proportionate, and in public interest. “The State has not imposed a blanket prohibition on the use of motorcycles for commercial purposes; rather, it has only restricted their use for carrying passengers. Motorcycle riders continue to have viable alternative avenues of livelihood, including under the Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, which provides statutory protection and welfare measures for such workers,” Karnataka submitted.
2. Bengaluru underpass construction cave-in kills two workers Two workers were killed after a portion of soil caved in at the site of an under-construction underpass near FTII Circle in Bengaluru on August 11 morning. The incident occurred around 11 a.m. when workers were engaged in construction work being undertaken by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). According to preliminary information, water had accumulated in a pit dug for laying RCC. The water was being pumped out when the soil reportedly collapsed. While three workers managed to escape two others were trapped. One of them, Sonaram (26), was rescued and shifted to a hospital where he was declared dead. Another worker, Parimal (31) died at the spot. 3. Karnataka Forest Department fits elephant with radio-collar in Hassan to track movement of herd Karnataka Forest Department officials captured two wild elephants and fitted them with radio collars over two days in the Belur range of Hassan district.
On August 10, they captured an elephant from a herd named Bhuvaneshwari and fitted it with an indigenous radio collar. On August 11, they captured an elephant from a herd named Beetamma after sedating it with a tranquilliser dart, fitted it with an indigenous radio collar, and released it back into the forest. The department had first fitted a radio collar on an elephant from the Bhuvaneshwari herd three years ago, and on an elephant from the Beetamma herd two years ago. The batteries on both collars had since expired, making it difficult for staff to track the herds. To resume tracking, staff identified other elephants from the same two groups in Belur range and fitted them with fresh indigenous radio collars. 4. Post-harvest loss in marine fisheries in Karnataka stood between 6.21% and 10.13%, says Union Government Post-harvest loss in marine fisheries in Karnataka stood between 6.21% and 10.13%, according to a comprehensive study conducted by the Union Department of Fisheries through the Productivity Council of India (NPC), an autonomous organisation under Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in 2023-24.
The BriefWire