Maharashtra: More than 700 drivers issued notices for lack of basic Marathi skills

The Maharashtra Transport Department has issued notices to 777 drivers for lacking practical knowledge of Marathi, The Hindu quoted unidentified officials as saying on Saturday.

A total of 5,211 drivers were tested during a statewide inspection campaign that began on August 20, including 3,942 in Mumbai. On the third day of the campaign, drivers found to lack functional knowledge of Marathi were served notices and given one month to learn the language.

The inspection campaign began after the August 15 deadline for taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers to acquire functional knowledge of Marathi had expired.

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said that drivers are being given sufficient time to learn Marathi, the newspaper reported.

He added: “Strict action will be taken against those who do not follow the rules even after the given deadline.”

On April 14, the state government made it mandatory for all licensed taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers to have a basic knowledge of Marathi from May 1. However, on April 29, it deferred the implementation of the decision until August 15.

Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had said in July that licences of taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers who fail to clear a Marathi language test will be cancelled from August 16.

On August 12, he said that the Marathi language requirement will also apply to those working with Ola, Uber and Rapido.

The Regional Transport Office has...

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