Why are Maharashtra’s auto-rickshaw, taxi drivers being issued notices for lacking Marathi language skills? | Explained

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A police official interacts with a auto-rickshaw driver after Maharashtra State Transport Department had conducted Marathi language training for out-of-State auto-rickshaw drivers to enable them to communicate in Marathi while working in Maharashtra. File. | Photo Credit: PTI

On August 20, 2026, the Maharashtra Transport Department began an enforcement drive issuing notices to those auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, who failed to prove the functional knowledge of Marathi language — now a mandatory requirement to drive the passenger vehicles in the State. The enforcement drive will continue till September 30, and so far around 2,500 such notices has been issued.

Since August 20, around 13,000 drivers have been tested in Mumbai and other parts of the State, as per the Transport Department. The drivers who fail in conversational assessment test then receive one-month notice to learn Marathi. “If they fail to comply with one-month notice, then their licence will be suspended for three months,” Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik stated.

The State Transport Department implemented Marathi requirement clause of Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 from May 1 through Maharashtra Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2026, after 37 years. However, after it received flak from auto-rickshaw unions, the drivers were given grace period of three months to learn Marathi. That period ended on August 15, with the implementation of enforcement drive cracking down on drivers who failed to prove ‘working knowledge of Marathi’ as per Rule 4(4), Rule 78, and Rule 85 of the Act.

The RTO authority is implementing drive in two ways — first by testing their working knowledge while issuing new badges, and secondly as RTO marshalls assess drivers at the check nakas , petrol pumps, outside railway stations, and other spots where there is a frequent presence of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers.

Marshalls are asking 10-15 questions based on everyday conversation between drivers and commuters. This includes- ‘ Kite paise jhale ? Where you want to go? Please start the meter, How much time will it take to reach? Do you have change? How do I pay you, cash or online? Where is rickshaw stand?’ among others. The list of questions and statements reflects everyday conversations.

If the drivers are failing to answer these questions or unable to make conversation, the notice is issued.

Several auto-rickshaw drivers at the individual level are voicing their dissent to the ongoing enforcement drive. The drivers associated with IC colony rickshaw stand has observed one-day strike and suspended their services. “Everyone has parked their rickshaw at the stand, refusing commuters to provide the service,” said Vivek Chaurasia, an auto-driver from IC colony in Borivali.

Several auto-rickshaw drivers in Mumbai, especially those from Dhaisar, Borivali, Malad, have questioned how can a person learn Marathi in just four sessions a month. “Most of the drivers are avoiding RTO’s check naka and driving on internal roads to skip the RTO drives.