Mumbai, Aug 6 (PTI) Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Thursday said more than one lakh non-Marathi drivers have completed a course in functional Marathi since the state government made it compulsory for all taxi and auto rickshaw drivers to have basic proficiency in Maharashtra’s official language from May 1, 2026.
Speaking to reporters after conducting a review meeting at Mantralaya, Sarnaik urged the remaining drivers, including those driving app-based taxis, to complete their Marathi training by August 15.
The Maharashtra government announced in April that auto rickshaw and taxi drivers in the state must be able to communicate in Marathi with passengers, and their knowledge of the language will be tested. It also launched the ‘Hinduhhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Shikvani Abhiyan’ on Maharashtra Day (May 1), introducing a course in Marathi for migrant drivers.
The campaign is being jointly implemented by the state Marathi Language Department and the literary bodies Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad.
Sarnaik said the campaign received encouraging response across the state, and drivers enrolled for Marathi classes voluntarily.
“Those who wish to earn a livelihood in Maharashtra should develop a connection with Marathi. This is not about compulsion but about belonging. Every driver who speaks a few words in Marathi with passengers becomes an ambassador of Maharashtra’s culture,” Sarnaik said.
The transport minister said Marathi was not merely a language of communication but the soul of Maharashtra’s identity and culture, adding that the use of Marathi while interacting with passengers would strengthen emotional bonds besides making communication easier.
The campaign will conclude on August 17 with a function at the Gadkari auditorium in Thane, where certificates will be distributed to thousands of drivers. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar, and Marathi Language Minister Uday Samant are expected to attend the programme, said Sarnaik.
Transport Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, senior writer Pradeep Dhawan, and representatives of the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad were present at the review meeting. PTI KK KRK
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