Maharashtra Transport Minister Rules Out Extension For Taxi, Auto Marathi Deadline

State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Wednesday ruled out any extension to the August 15 deadline for taxi and autorickshaw drivers in Mumbai and across Maharashtra to acquire basic proficiency in Marathi.

The Maharashtra government has proposed making a working knowledge of Marathi mandatory for taxi and autorickshaw drivers operating in the state. Under the proposed regulation, drivers who fail to comply with the language requirement face severe administrative penalties, including the potential suspension or revocation of their licences.

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik firmly rejected any possibility of extending the timeline, maintaining that drivers must acquire the required basic Marathi proficiency by the August 15 cutoff date.