Maharashtra relents to non-Marathi drivers' demands, gives them a year to learn language

2 min learnUp to date: Aug 27, 2026 08:38 PM IST

Amid a clampdown on non-Marathi-speaking auto and taxi drivers, the Maharashtra authorities on Thursday introduced that it was granting a yr to all migrant drivers to study primary Marathi. In an announcement, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis additionally promised no motion in opposition to them in that one yr.

The transfer successfully places the necessary Marathi language situation on maintain for a yr and comes after representatives of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers’ organisations met Fadnavis and sought extra time to conform.

Fadnavis stated in the course of the assembly, representatives of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers’ organisations supported the federal government transfer to make Marathi proficiency necessary for migrant drivers working in Mumbai.

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Nevertheless, they argued that it was troublesome for many who belong to completely different age teams and left formal schooling years in the past.

“They demanded that they need to be given one yr. The state authorities has accepted their demand,” Fadnavis stated.

He stated the federal government would use the yr to assist drivers study primary Marathi via classes and study material, slightly than taking punitive motion in opposition to them.

“Throughout this one yr, no motion shall be taken in opposition to them. We are going to assist them by arranging various kinds of courses and getting ready literature in order that they’ll study primary Marathi,” Fadnavis stated.

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The announcement comes amid a political dispute over the requirement that auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers ought to have working information of Marathi. Driver organisations had sought extra time, saying many drivers wanted further assist to satisfy the requirement.

The choice to make Marathi language necessary for all non-Marathi auto and taxi drivers was taken after an inspection by the Mira Bhayandar RTO revealed that a number of of them lacked primary proficiency. It was then that Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik declared that all of them needed to study Marathi.

Earlier, the drivers had staged a rasta roko protest in Kandivli, claiming that they had been being “harassed” and “warned” by fellow drivers. “We had been being always harassed and stopped by native Marathi audio system and requested to study the language somehow, forcing us to take this step,” stated Sunil Yadav, a non-Marathi driver.

Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Categorical’ Mumbai bureau, acknowledged as an authoritative and deeply educated voice on the politics, governance, and infrastructure of Maharashtra. With greater than 9 years of expertise in main information organizations, his reporting delivers excessive requirements of Experience and Trustworthiness.
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