Marathi mandatory for commercial passenger vehicle drivers in Maharashtra: Sarnaik

Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Monday (April 27) that drivers of all commercial passenger vehicles in the state must have a working knowledge of Marathi, warning of strict action against those who fail to learn the language.

He added that demands from auto-rickshaw and taxi unions to allow non-Marathi drivers a fixed period to learn the language were reasonable and are being considered.

Debate over Marathi mandate

The minister’s comments have come amid appeals from various quarters to defer the government's plan to make Marathi compulsory for auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers from May 1.

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Speaking at a meeting held at Mantralaya, the minister said the state government is firm on the language requirement, as drivers regularly interact with passengers and should be able to communicate in basic Marathi.

Drivers of all commercial passenger vehicles in the state must have a working knowledge of Marathi, he said, without specifying the categories of vehicles.

Transport commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, labour leaders Shashank Rao and Haji Arafat Shaikh, and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, along with representatives of auto-rickshaw and taxi unions, were present at the meeting, an official release said.

Sarnaik said while Maharashtra is a progressive state and employment generation is a key priority of the government, having a basic knowledge of Marathi is a minimum expectation while doing business in the state and dealing with the public.

Govt plans language training

"As the state language, Marathi must be respected, and non-Marathi drivers should learn it," he said.

The minister said the government is taking steps to teach drivers basic Marathi needed for day-to-day communication, and organisations such as the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, along with writers, have supported the initiative. Auto-rickshaw and taxi unions have also agreed to cooperate, he added.

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He further said that a meeting of 59 regional and deputy regional transport officers has been scheduled at the Transport Commissionerate on Tuesday to discuss the issue in detail and take appropriate decisions.

The government is also planning to introduce a short course on functional Marathi for drivers and will conduct awareness campaigns to help them learn the language, he added.

(With agency inputs)