WATCH | Maharashtra Marathi mandate: Non-Marathi auto drivers celebrate one-year deadline extension

NonMarathi autorickshaw drivers in Maharashtra celebrated the Maharashtra governments decision to grant them a oneyear extension to learn the languageThe decision has come as a major relief to a large number of nonMarathi autorickshaw drivers who were facing pressure to meet the Marathi language requirement within the stipulated periodChief Minister CM Devendra Fadnavis announced the timeline extension after a delegation met him at the Sahyadri Guest House on Thursday The decision means immediate action against nonMarathi drivers has been halted giving them more time to learn the languageWATCH Mumbai Maharashtra NonMarathi autorickshaw drivers celebrate and express gratitude to Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis for the decision to grant them a oneyear extension to learn Marathi The decision comes as a major relief for nonMarathi autorickshaw drivers pictwittercomGu6yp4Uu2umdash ANI ANI August 28 2026Following the announcement several auto drivers welcoming the decision expressed their gratitude and thanked Fadnavis They said that an additional year would give them more time to learn the language and meet the requirement without facing immediate difficulties in continuing their livelihoodThe announcement of the extension came a day after Deputy CM Eknath Shinde handed over certificates to around 20000 autorickshaw and taxi drivers who had completed the language course in MumbaiThe Bharatiya Janata Party BJPled state government in April announced that nonMarathi drivers must learn basic Marathi and set a deadline of August 15 while organising Marathi classes for themMarathi mandate Taxi unions welcome oneyear extension for driversPrem Singh Mumbai Taximens Association leader said the oneyear extension would give taxi drivers sufficient time to acquire working knowledge of MarathiSingh said that many taxi drivers were over 60 years of age and found it difficult to learn the language within a short period although several of them already understood Marathi wellThe Mumbai Taximenrsquos Association leader further stated Now that they know it is mandatory they will acquire the required skill within a year As a union we will also make arrangements to help drivers learn the languageHailing the extended deadline DM Gosavi leader of the Seva Sarathi Taxi Rickshaw Transport Union said drivers are happy that they will not lose their livelihood for nowGosavi highlighted Our members are quite happy and satisfied with the decision We have already started classrooms to teach Marathi and the additional time will help more drivers learn the language as per PTIA senior RTO official told news agency PTI that flying squads had been fully engaged in the enforcement drive launched in recent days and their workload would have increased further after the deadline as notices had already been issued to hundreds of driversRTO officials get relief as Marathi enforcement against drivers is deferredThe RTO official while requesting anonymity said While deciding to postpone the decision to make Marathi mandatory for one year the chief minister has said that no action will be taken against any rickshaw or taxi driver Otherwise our officers would have spent the next fourfive months handling these cases aloneOn August 20 the transport department issued notices to 1268 commercial passenger vehicle driversmdashmainly autorickshaw and taxi driversmdashfor lacking adequate knowledge of Marathi on the first day of statewide checkingTransport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had said that drivers failing the Marathi test would be given one month to acquire the working knowledge of the language failing which their badges would be suspended for three months With inputs from PTI