28 August,2026 02:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Taxi and autorickshaw drivers in Mumbai welcomed the Maharashtra government`s decision to extend the deadline for acquiring working knowledge of Marathi by one year. File pic
Autorickshaw and taxi unions in Maharashtra have welcomed the state government's decision to give drivers an additional year to acquire working knowledge of Marathi, saying the extension has removed the immediate threat to their livelihoods.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the one-year extension after a delegation of taxi and autorickshaw representatives met him at Sahyadri Guest House on Thursday. The decision puts on hold immediate action against drivers who do not have the required knowledge of Marathi and gives them more time to learn the language.
The announcement came a day after Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde distributed certificates to around 20,000 autorickshaw and taxi drivers in Mumbai who had completed a Marathi language course.
The BJP-led Maharashtra government had announced in April that non-Marathi drivers would be required to learn basic Marathi. August 15 had initially been set as the deadline, with Marathi classes organised for drivers.
Prem Singh, leader of the Mumbai Taximen's Association, said the extended deadline would provide taxi drivers sufficient time to acquire the required working knowledge of Marathi.
He pointed out that many taxi drivers are above 60 and may find it difficult to learn a new language within a short period. At the same time, several drivers already understand Marathi, he said.
Singh added that the union would make arrangements to help drivers learn the language during the additional year.
DM Gosavi of the Seva Sarathi Taxi Rickshaw Transport Union also welcomed the decision, saying drivers were relieved that they would not face an immediate threat to their livelihoods. He said the union had already started classrooms to teach Marathi.
A retired transport department official said the issue appeared to have been pursued largely for political reasons without sufficient consideration of ground realities.
He also pointed to the absence of a clear definition of what constitutes "working knowledge" of Marathi in the rules amended earlier this month. According to him, this could create scope for drivers to face financial exploitation.
A senior RTO official said flying squads had already been occupied with a month-long enforcement drive and would have faced an increased workload if the deadline had continued.
On August 20, the transport department issued notices to 1,268 commercial passenger vehicle drivers, mainly autorickshaw and taxi operators, during the first day of statewide checking for Marathi proficiency.
Transport Minister Sarnaik had earlier said drivers who failed the Marathi test would get one month to acquire working knowledge of the language. Failure to do so could have resulted in suspension of their badges for three months.
(With inputs from PTI)
