Maharashtra Government makes practical Marathi mandatory for commercial drivers from August 16

The Maharashtra government has made knowledge of practical Marathi mandatory for drivers of commercial passenger vehicles amending the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 in a move aimed at improving passenger safety communication and public serviceMaharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Wednesday announced that the state has amended Rules 4 22 78 and 85 of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 As per the officials notification on July 8 the new requirement will come into force from August 16 2026Addressing the legislature Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said that the decision was intended to strengthen communication between drivers and passengers and should not be viewed as being against any languageHe asserted Marathi is not a language that alienates people rather it is a language that connects peopleSarnaik further added that Maharashtra has always welcomed people from across the country seeking employment However he stressed that acquiring sufficient knowledge of practical Marathi to communicate with residents is both a legal requirement and a social responsibilityFocus on passenger safetyAccording to the Transport Department the mandatory Marathi proficiency requirement has been introduced to ensure better communication between commercial vehicle drivers and passengers particularly during emergenciesFurthermore the government believes that effective communication will reduce misunderstandings enable quicker assistance in emergency situations and strengthen public confidence in Maharashtras transport servicesStatewide training drive underwayTo facilitate implementation of the new rules the Transport Department has been conducting a statewide training campaign over the past several monthsThe initiative has been undertaken with support from the Marathi Language Department Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and Industries Minister Uday Samant Thousands of teachers have been mobilised to train commercial drivers across MaharashtraTraining sessions are being held at Regional Transport Offices RTOs and designated training centers at timings convenient for driversCurriculum covers daily passenger interactionsThe specially designed Practical Marathi curriculum focuses on everyday communication required by commercial drivers It includesCommon sentence structures used during passenger interactionsGiving directions and location guidanceFarerelated communicationEmergency response conversationsPolite communication with women senior citizens and persons with disabilitiesThe training programme also includes simplified booklets conversation guides and learning material aimed at making Marathi easier to understand and use in daily operationsInitiative stresses on respecting MarathiSarnaik said the initiative encourages people working in Maharashtra to take pride in their own mother tongue while embracing Marathi the states official languageHe said Respecting Marathi signifies respect for Maharashtras culture history and the sentiments of its peopleExpressing confidence in the initiative Sarnaik said that the decision would promote a balance between linguistic pride passenger safety and quality public services He assured us that the government would continue to provide training guidance and all necessary support to driversHe also appealed to commercial drivers vehicle owners transport associations and citizens to cooperate in successfully implementing the initiativeMaharashtra Marathi rule Marathi mandatory for drivers commercial drivers Maharashtra Maharashtra transport department Pratap Sarnaik Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 Marathi language taxi drivers Maharashtra auto rickshaw drivers bus drivers Maharashtra passenger safety RTO Maharashtra Marathi training commercial vehicle drivers Maharashtra government transport news Marathi proficiency Maharashtra news Mumbai news public transport Maharashtra