The Maharashtra Government on Tuesday announced a 100-day verification and enforcement drive for its Marathi mandate for autorickshaw and taxi drivers, effectively giving operators time to comply before stricter measures are considered.
Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said the campaign, to be carried out across all 59 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) from May 1 to August 15, will combine checks on permits, licences, and illegal operations with an assessment of drivers’ working knowledge of Marathi.
A committee headed by Additional Transport Commissioner Ravindra Gaikwad will oversee the drive, reviewing progress daily and weekly and issuing directions based on field reports.
Sarnaik said a comprehensive report will be submitted on August 16, which will determine the next course of policy action, including possible penalties for non-compliance, effectively making August 15 the cut-off for the current compliance window.
The announcement follows discussions with auto and taxi unions, which had sought more time to implement the requirement and opposed any move to introduce reading and writing tests. According to the minister, there was broad agreement on the need for “functional Marathi”, with the Government adopting a phased approach centred on training.
“If you want to do business in Maharashtra, you must know Marathi. But this is not a punitive drive, we will teach those willing to learn,” he said, clarifying that licences will not be cancelled solely on the grounds of not knowing the language. “However, if there are violations of transport rules, illegal operations or passenger harassment, action will be taken under existing legal provisions,” he said at a press conference.
As part of the rollout, the transport department will issue formal letters to 565 drivers identified during a recent inspection drive in Mira-Bhayander who were unable to demonstrate Marathi proficiency. The letters will inform them about the campaign and provide access to training. During that drive, 3,443 autorickshaws were checked, and penalties worth Rs 87,000 were collected for various violations.
Training in basic functional Marathi
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To enable compliance, Marathi training facilities will be set up at RTO offices, where officials will also conduct sessions. The programme will be implemented in collaboration with literary bodies such as the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh. Study materials, including printed booklets, e-booklets and WhatsApp-based content, will be distributed. A new simplified learning module, described as “basic functional Marathi”, is expected to be introduced to help drivers acquire conversational skills quickly.
“We are not asking anyone to have a degree in Marathi. Basic Marathi to communicate with passengers is sufficient,” Sarnaik said.
Drivers who complete the training will be issued certificates, which are expected to be linked to licence renewal. The minister also described the certification as a form of formal recognition for those who adopt the language.
A headcount of non-Marathi-speaking drivers
Officials said the drive would also function as a data-gathering exercise to determine the actual number of non-Marathi-speaking drivers in the sector, as current estimates vary significantly. The findings will be used to refine future regulatory measures.
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Sarnaik said enforcement would extend across all categories of passenger transport, including two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and taxis. While the Government will provide time and support for learning during the campaign period, he indicated that a stricter framework could follow.
“If someone is willing to learn, we will support them fully. But after this process, compliance with rules will be enforced,” he said.
Sarnaik added that the policy was rooted in administrative and cultural considerations rather than politics. “Marathi is part of Maharashtra’s identity. Those who wish to work here must be able to communicate in the language,” he said.
Transport Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar was also present at the minister’s presser.
Union leader welcomes announcement
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Reacting to the announcement, taxi union leader Shashank Rao said the unions would not proceed with their agitation for now. “We conveyed our position yesterday. The Government has maintained that there will be no written or oral test and has focused on functional Marathi. Given that, we are not going ahead with the agitation at this stage,” he said.
Rao said unions would support the rollout of basic Marathi training. “Whatever curriculum is introduced, we will help reach out to autorickshaw and taxi drivers,” he said, adding that the issue should not be politicised.
