28 August,2026 08:05 AM IST | Mumbai | Agencies
A Marathi language training session underway at the Mumbai Central Regional Transport Office. File pic
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers will get one year to learn functional Marathi. No action will be taken against drivers during this period for not knowing the state's official language.
The decision came after representatives of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers' organisations, led by Haji Arfat Shaikh, met Fadnavis. They supported the rule requiring drivers to learn basic Marathi but said many drivers belong to different age groups and had left formal education years ago, making it difficult to learn the language in a short period. "They requested that they be given one year. The state government has accepted their demand and is giving them one year. No action will be taken during this period," Fadnavis said.
Classes will be organised and study material provided to help drivers learn functional Marathi. "They have themselves come forward and are willing to learn. Therefore, it was necessary to give them time," Fadnavis said.
The government had announced in April that non-Marathi drivers must learn basic Marathi and set August 15 as the deadline. Marathi classes were also organised for them.
On August 20, the Transport Department issued notices to 1268 commercial passenger vehicle drivers, mainly auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, for not having adequate knowledge of Marathi during the first day of state-wide checking.
Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had said, "Drivers who failed the Marathi test would get one month to acquire working knowledge of the language, failing which their badges would be suspended for three months."
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