Maharashtra auto drivers get one year extension to learn Marathi:CM Fadnavis says, ‘No action against non-Marathi drivers during this tenure’

The Maharashtra government has given auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers who do not know Marathi one year to learn the language. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Thursday that no action would be taken against drivers during this period. The move effectively delays the implementation of the Marathi language requirement by a year. Auto-rickshaw and taxi driver associations had met Fadnavis and requested more time to comply with the rule. Fadnavis said various organisations had supported the requirement for drivers working in Mumbai to have a working knowledge of Marathi. However, he noted that drivers come from different age groups and many have been out of education for a long time, meaning they may need more time to learn the language. “We will help the drivers by creating various classes and study materials so they can learn basic Marathi,” Fadnavis said. The announcement comes amid a political debate in Mumbai over the Marathi language and the state government’s decision to make Marathi instruction compulsory. The issue has particularly affected taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers, many of whom have migrated from other states. Driver unions had sought more time, citing practical difficulties in implementing the requirement across such a large and diverse workforce within a short period. Drivers approach Bombay High Court Four cab drivers from Maharashtra moved the Bombay High Court on August 25, challenging the state government’s decision to make a working knowledge of Marathi mandatory for auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers. Protests erupted after rumours spread that the government would impose heavy fines on drivers who did not meet the Marathi language requirement. Auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers staged demonstrations in several parts of Mumbai. As tensions escalated, Fadnavis intervened and clarified that the government did not expect drivers to be experts in Marathi, but only wanted them to be able to communicate with passengers. Government plans to teach Marathi to around 6 lakh drivers According to the state government, Maharashtra has around 9.16 lakh auto-rickshaws and 61,657 taxis, with a large number operating in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The government plans to involve around 6 lakh auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in the Marathi-learning initiative. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said 165,601 drivers had already joined the campaign, which was launched a few months ago. ​