Maharashtra Gives Mumbai Auto Drivers One-Year Extension to Learn Marathi
Non-Marathi auto-rickshaw drivers across Mumbai celebrated on Friday after the Maharashtra government granted them a one-year extension to learn the Marathi language. The decision came after representatives of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers' organisations met with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to outline the difficulties faced in meeting the earlier deadline.
Drivers were seen dancing and cheering following the announcement, describing the extension as a major relief that allows them to acquire functional language skills without immediate administrative pressure. The state government has maintained that individuals working in the transport sector in Mumbai must have a functional knowledge of Marathi.
Driver representatives pointed out that while non-Marathi-speaking drivers were willing to learn the language, they faced significant hurdles regarding access to instructors, obtaining certification, and completing administrative requirements within the initial timeframe.
BJP Dhadak Kamgar Union leader Abhijit Rane welcomed the government's move, stating that drivers had never opposed learning Marathi. Speaking to ANI, Rane estimated that more than 50 per cent of drivers had yet to learn the language.
Rane noted that representatives had presented the ground realities faced by drivers across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), where approximately 3.5 to 4 lakh individuals operate auto-rickshaws, with the total number of drivers being higher due to multiple shifts.
Stressing that the extra time would help drivers learn properly, Rane thanked Fadnavis for addressing their concerns and recognising their willingness to adapt to the local language.
The one-year grace period comes alongside legal scrutiny over the state notification making Marathi compulsory for auto-rickshaw, taxi, and app-based cab drivers. Trinamool Congress leader Majeed Memon welcomed the relief measure but questioned whether language mandates could impede a citizen's constitutional right to earn a livelihood, remarking that the courts would assess the matter if challenged.
