03 July,2026 05:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
The campaign has been jointly organised by the State Transport Department and several Marathi literary organisations. Representational Pic/File
The Maharashtra government has launched a statewide language proficiency campaign aimed at helping non-Marathi autorickshaw and taxi drivers communicate better with passengers, reported the PTI.
The initiative is designed to promote respectful and effective communication in Marathi between drivers and commuters.
The campaign has been jointly organised by the State Transport Department and several Marathi literary organisations.
An official said the first phase of the programme will begin on July 6 and will be conducted across several major cities. The campaign will conclude in Nagpur by mid-July, according to the PTI.
Last month, the transport department issued a directive making it mandatory for non-Marathi autorickshaw and taxi drivers to obtain a Marathi language proficiency certificate by August 15.
As part of the initiative, drivers must complete a four-hour training course.
The course will be conducted free of cost by the Maharashtra State Marathi Language Department, Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh, as per the PTI.
The first phase of the campaign will cover cities including Sambhajinagar, Parbhani, Dharashiv and Solapur.
Prominent writers and educators will also take part in the sessions to guide participants on basic communication and language use, the news agency reported.
The programme will later be extended to other cities including Nashik, Malegaon, Pune, Sangli, Kolhapur and Nagpur.
Officials said the initiative aims to strengthen cultural understanding and improve interaction between drivers and passengers, reported the PTI.
Pradeep Dhawal, Vice-President of the Maharashtra State Board for Literature and Culture and Executive President of the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, said the campaign aims to promote respect and affinity for the local language.
He urged all auto and taxi driver unions to actively participate in the programme, the news agency reported.
Meanwhile, last month, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had appealed to commercial passenger transport drivers from non-Marathi-speaking backgrounds to learn and use basic Marathi while interacting with passengers across the state.
Sarnaik had stated that the drivers engaged in commercial passenger transport services in Maharashtra should possess a working knowledge of Marathi to facilitate communication with local passengers. He stated that greater use of the language in day-to-day interactions could help strengthen communication and improve passenger experiences.
(with PTI inputs)
