Mumbai, Aug 13 (PTI) The Maharashtra government has proposed to amend the law to make “working knowledge of Marathi language” mandatory for taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers, with non-compliance potentially leading to suspension or revocation of their driving licences, officials said.
State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Wednesday said there will be no extension of the August 15 deadline for autorickshaw and taxi drivers to learn Marathi.
Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut stressed the need for drivers to learn the local language, while Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that although learning the local language was important, forcing someone to do so was wrong.
Under the proposed amendments to the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles
Rules, 1989, the driver of a motor cab fitted with an electronic meter will have to possess “working knowledge of Marathi language”, according to a draft notification issued by the state government, a copy of which was shared with the media by Sarnaik’s office on Wednesday.
“Working knowledge of the local language is necessary to communicate with passengers, understand what they have to say and ensure safe and convenient travel. This will enable more effective implementation of these rules in the future,” Sarnaik said.
According to the draft notification, the licensing authority will issue a notice granting the driver one month to acquire the required working knowledge of Marathi if he/she is found lacking it.
The proposed amendments are being introduced through the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2026, which seek to amend the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, and cover drivers and permit holders of autorickshaws, taxis and app-based motor cabs fitted with electronic meters.
Under the proposed amendment, applicants for the relevant authorisation will be required to have “working knowledge of Marathi language” in addition to other prescribed qualifications. The proposed amendment provides for insertion of the phrase among the requirements relating to “antecedents” under the relevant provision of the rules.
Failure to comply with the requirement within the stipulated period may lead to suspension of the authorisation on the driver’s licence for up to three months. Continued non-compliance may subsequently result in revocation of the authorisation, according to the draft notification.
The driver will, however, be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard before the authorisation is revoked, it stated.
The requirement will also apply to renewal of such permits, with the permit holder required to demonstrate the requisite Marathi proficiency to the satisfaction of the competent authority, according to the draft notification.
The amendments would remove ambiguity in the rules and make the importance of practical Marathi for passenger vehicle drivers clearer, a release from Sarnaik’s office said.
A senior official of the state transport department told PTI that the draft notification is ready for issuance after being cleared by the law and judiciary department.
The home department will issue the final notification under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, the official said.
Earlier, Sarnaik on Wednesday said the government will not extend the August 15 deadline for non-Marathi taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers to learn Marathi.
“Marathi is the language of Maharashtra, and drivers providing public transport services here should have basic functional knowledge of the language. We have given them sufficient time to learn Marathi. From August 15, functional Marathi will be mandatory for taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers in Maharashtra,” the minister told PTI Videos.
On August 17, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will present certificates to hundreds of auto-rickshaw drivers who have completed the Marathi training course organised by the government, he said.
Sena (UBT) leader Raut came out in support of the Marathi language mandate.
“Wherever you go, it is necessary to learn the local language. You can do your business well if you know Marathi. We haven’t asked you to leave. But learn the language,” the Rajya Sabha member said.
Talking to reporters in Nagpur, senior Congress leader Wadettiwar said, “It is important to know the language of the state in which you are driving your vehicle. But at the same time, it shouldn’t be forced on them.” “There is no need to stretch the issue. The government should not create a controversy over the issue of language. Marathi should be learned. That is fine. But when we talk about Marathi pride, many leaders in Maharashtra have admitted their children in English medium schools. So the issue should not be used for political mileage,” he said.
“Learning language becomes an asset, it helps you…Learning Marathi is not wrong, but making it binding on someone and imposing it as an obligation is wrong,” he added.
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi also lashed out at the government over the August 15 deadline mandating taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers to learn Marathi, claiming this would be a “great injustice” and halt Mumbai’s pace.
Azmi alleged that the government’s decision was politically motivated.
The legislator from Mumbai suggested adopting a gradual approach so that drivers can pick up the language over one to three years, and said he had spoken to the chief minister over the issue. PTI KK PR PS CLS GK NP
