Drivers who do not know Marathi will no longer be allowed to drive auto-rickshaws and taxis in Maharashtra. The state government is set to launch a campaign from 20 August against auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers who do not have a ‘working knowledge’ of Marathi.
Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced this on Wednesday. He said drivers will first be served notices and given three months to learn Marathi. If they fail to do so, their licences will be suspended. The campaign will be conducted across the state for one month.
Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik held a meeting with officials at Mantralaya on Wednesday. The action plan was discussed during the meeting.
RTO teams to conduct checks
Additional Transport Commissioner Ravi Gaikwad has been assigned responsibility for the campaign. RTO flying squads will check auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers across the state.
Officials have been instructed through video conferences. The Marathi language tests and verification of drivers will also be video-recorded.
Plan to teach Marathi to around 6 lakh drivers
According to the government, Maharashtra has around 6 lakh auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, with a large number working particularly in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The government wants to bring all of them into the Marathi-learning initiative.
So far, 1,65,601 drivers have joined the campaign, which was launched a few months ago. According to the government, the Marathi Language Department will now work with the Transport Department and other officials to take the initiative forward.
Concerns over drivers from other states
A large number of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in Maharashtra come from other states. Many of them either do not know Marathi or speak very little Marathi. Such drivers fear that their licences and permits could be cancelled.
However, the government says they will first be given an opportunity to learn Marathi, and action will be taken only afterwards.
‘Working knowledge’ not clearly defined
Driver unions have raised questions about the rule. DM Gosavi, leader of the Seva Sarathi Auto-Rickshaw Taxi and Transport Union, said the government has made “working knowledge” of Marathi mandatory, but has not clarified how much Marathi will be considered sufficient.
The union says that if the rule is not clearly defined, it could lead to disputes between RTO officials and drivers and increase the risk of corruption or financial exploitation of drivers.
The government says the initiative aims to teach drivers Marathi so that they can communicate easily with passengers and comply with state rules.
