15,000 Auto Drivers in Borivali Complete Marathi Language Training

Around 15,000 Hindi-speaking autorickshaw drivers from North India were awarded certificates on Wednesday in Borivali after successfully completing a Marathi language training programme designed to improve their daily communication with commuters and local authorities.

The certificates were distributed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a special programme held in the Borivali locality of Mumbai. State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik and local MLA Prakash Surve, who undertook the initiative, were also present at the event.

The training programme focused on equipping drivers with basic Marathi phrases and vocabulary essential for everyday conversations and public-facing interactions. Autorickshaw drivers across Mumbai regularly engage with commuters from diverse linguistic backgrounds, and the course was structured to facilitate smoother dialogue between drivers and the public.

According to organisers, the initiative aims to encourage the use of Marathi in daily public interactions across the city. Familiarity with the language is expected to assist the drivers not only in communicating with passengers during routine travel but also when dealing with transport-related matters and municipal or police authorities.

The distribution ceremony marked the formal completion of the training course for the first batch of 15,000 Hindi-speaking autorickshaw drivers operating in the region.