Marathi to be mandatory for rickshaw, taxi drivers in Maharashtra from May 1

The Maharashtra government has made it mandatory for all licensed rickshaw and taxi drivers in the state to have basic knowledge of Marathi from May 1, with a statewide verification drive to be conducted through transport offices, cabinet minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Tuesday.

In a statement issued by his office, Sarnaik said licenses of drivers who fail to demonstrate basic proficiency in Marathi may be cancelled.

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“From May 1, coinciding with Maharashtra Day, it will be mandatory for all licensed rickshaw and taxi drivers to know Marathi. A state-wide inspection campaign will be conducted through 59 regional and sub-regional offices of the Motor Transport Department to verify if drivers can read and write the language,” the minister stated.

Sarnaik said the existing rule requiring knowledge of the local language for issuing driving licenses was already in place but was being widely ignored.

He added that the Transport Department had received several complaints, particularly from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and Nagpur, about drivers being unable or unwilling to communicate with passengers in Marathi.

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“It is everyone's duty to learn the language of the region where they conduct business. While it is important to be proud of one's mother tongue, it is equally vital to respect the state's language while working there,” the Shiv Sena leader said.

Sarnaik also said enforcement would not be limited to drivers alone.

“Strict action will also be taken against transport officials found guilty of incorrectly issuing licenses by ignoring these established rules,” the minister stated.