Maharashtra grants auto, taxi drivers one year to learn Marathi

Maharashtra's government has given auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers a 12-month window to develop competency in Marathi, acceding to requests from the transportation sector for additional time to comply with language requirements. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement, signalling a more lenient approach to implementing the state's official language rules for commercial vehicle operators. The decision represents a significant concession after mounting pressure from driver associations concerned about the feasibility of meeting the language proficiency mandate within shorter timeframes. During the grace period, authorities will refrain from initiating penalties or enforcement actions against drivers lacking the prescribed knowledge of Marathi. The move comes as part of ongoing efforts to balance the state's language preservation objectives with the practical challenges faced by the transportation industry, which employs thousands of workers from diverse linguistic backgrounds across Maharashtra's urban and rural areas.