Maharashtra RTOs Issue 1,921 Notices to Auto, Taxi Drivers Over Marathi Language Test
MUMBAI — Transport authorities across Maharashtra have issued notices to 1,921 auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers over the first two days of a statewide enforcement campaign aimed at checking practical Marathi language skills.
The statewide drive gathered pace on its second day, when Regional Transport Office (RTO) teams evaluated 9,233 drivers across Maharashtra. According to official data dated August 21, 1,499 drivers were found lacking practical Marathi knowledge during the Day 2 inspections and were served formal notices.
Within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), transport officials inspected 3,942 vehicle owners and drivers on the second day. Of the drivers evaluated in the MMR, 722 failed to show adequate practical Marathi skills, leading to notices being issued to each of them.
Outside the MMR, enforcement teams assessed 5,291 auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers on the same day. Among those tested in areas outside the metropolitan region, 777 drivers failed the practical language assessment and received notices from the authorities.
The second-day operations marked a significant scale-up from the opening day of the exercise. On Day 1, RTO teams examined 1,430 drivers across Maharashtra and issued notices to 422 individuals who could not demonstrate practical proficiency in Marathi.
In total, the two-day inspection exercise resulted in 1,921 notices being handed out to commercial drivers throughout the state, reflecting an expanding enforcement initiative against those failing to comply with the language mandate.
The assessment drive focuses on practical communication skills in Marathi, specifically testing whether auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers can converse and interact effectively with passengers during routine travel situations. The ongoing checks follow a policy decision by the Maharashtra state government making practical knowledge of Marathi an official requirement for all auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers operating in the state.
