Uber, Ola, Rapido drivers may face Marathi rule in Maharashtra

Mumbai: Even as the Maharashtra government has extended the deadline for taxi and auto drivers to learn Marathi to August 15, the state government now intends to implement a similar policy for drivers and riders working with aggregators such as Uber, Ola, and Rapido.

"We are preparing a similar policy for aggregators like Uber, Ola, and Rapido. We have submitted it to the law and judiciary department, and once we get their approval, we will implement it for aggregators as well," said Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik.



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Sarnaik made the remarks on Tuesday while announcing that the state government will not take action against taxi and auto drivers in the state if they fail to learn Marathi by May 1. "We received representations from several union representatives who assured us that their members (drivers) are not against learning Marathi. Therefore, we have decided to extend the deadline to August 15 for them to learn the language," the minister said.

Sarnaik's earlier deadline of May 1 for taxi and auto drivers to learn Marathi had caused concern among unions, as several drivers from the north Indian community do not know how to speak the language.


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The transport department's 'Speak Marathi' rule had also caused unease within the BJP, which enjoys considerable support among the north Indian community. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, who belongs to Pratap Sarnaik's party and has championed the causes of the north Indian community, had also appealed to the government to extend the deadline.