State to Open 161 Marathi Centres and Helpline for Drivers Across Thane, MMR

The Maharashtra government has announced the setup of 161 Marathi language training centres across the state alongside a dedicated Regional Transport Office (RTO) helpline, following widespread protests by non-Marathi-speaking autorickshaw and taxi drivers. Training facilities have been identified across Thane, Bhiwandi, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, and Nalasopara to assist drivers in meeting language requirements.

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced the measures on Tuesday, noting that the new centres are scheduled to become operational within the next two to three days. The initiative is aimed at giving public transport drivers direct access to basic conversational Marathi lessons.

The government action comes a day after large-scale demonstrations were held by drivers who had received compliance notices. Drivers had raised concerns about having nowhere to learn the language within the mandated one-month notice period, while also pointing to issues during proficiency checks.

To address grievances, the state established the dedicated RTO helpline to handle complaints concerning harassment, unfair fines, and alleged irregularities during Marathi proficiency inspections. Sarnaik clarified during a press conference that the mandate is not meant to be punitive or deprive drivers of their livelihoods, but is designed to improve communication between drivers and commuters.

The training programmes will be conducted in collaboration with literary and cultural bodies, including the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh. The government stated that these centres across Thane and neighboring regions will offer the necessary support to ensure drivers can comfortably acquire conversational language skills.