Maharashtra Prepares 1 Lakh Marathi Certificates for Auto Drivers Ahead of Aug 18 Drive

Over one lakh certificates have been prepared for distribution across 58 Regional Transport Offices in Maharashtra ahead of strict enforcement of Marathi language rules for commercial passenger vehicle drivers starting August 18.

A central felicitation ceremony is scheduled to take place at Ram Ganesh Gadkari Rangayatan in Thane, featuring the participation of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alongside Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar. The Thane event will be live-streamed to drivers participating across the state.

The initiative follows amended Motor Vehicles Rules that require drivers of all commercial passenger vehicles to possess a functional working knowledge of Marathi. According to transport officials, the formal training deadline concluded on August 15. Beginning August 18, authorities will issue show-cause notices to non-compliant drivers, offering them a one-month grace window to acquire the necessary language skills.

RTO sources noted that drivers will need to produce their certificates during inspections and may be asked to demonstrate functional Marathi proficiency on the spot.

Ahead of the enforcement, auto drivers across the metropolitan region have been attending RTO-run training classes to pick up essential conversational phrases, ranging from standard driving inquiries and fare exchanges to basic refusal reasons.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Union leader Thampy Kurien reported that many non-Marathi auto drivers have obtained a working knowledge of the language. However, Kurien raised concerns regarding unauthorised private coaching centres that have surfaced, allegedly charging drivers at least Rs 500 under the pretext of teaching Marathi. He called for official action against unauthorized operators and requested the state government to maintain an accessible online Marathi learning platform for drivers.