Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has given auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers one year to acquire working knowledge of Marathi, a step taken to relieve the state’s mounting political and legal storm on the language requirement for drivers.
Fadnavis made the announcement on Thursday after meeting representatives of auto-rickshaw and cab drivers. The chief minister said drivers agreed to speak Marathi but also said that people from different age groups and backgrounds work in the transport sector, meaning that some of them might not be able to learn the language in a short time.
The drivers wanted a one-year window to get to know Marathi, which the state government has now accepted. No action would be taken against drivers during this period, Fadnavis said, which would give them time to meet the working language requirement.
The decision comes at a time when there is uncertainty as to how strictly the new transport rules will be enforced. The Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik had warned that drivers unable to demonstrate working knowledge of Marathi could face action against their authorisation badges.
Under the transport minister's enforcement mechanism, a driver who failed to meet the Marathi proficiency requirement would have the badge suspended for a month. If the driver still failed to show the required knowledge, a further three months could be provided before the badge would be cancelled.
The issue has been a hot issue of debate because Mumbai and many other parts of Maharashtra have large numbers of workers who have migrated from different states. Many of the drivers in Mumbai's vast taxi and auto-rickshaw network are of diverse linguistic backgrounds, making the language requirement a politically and socially sensitive issue.
Sarnaik had earlier accused some political leaders of deliberately creating a “Marathi-Hindi” controversy in Mumbai and Thane. He added that it was also being linked to electoral considerations, especially ahead of elections in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The dispute has also created tensions among drivers themselves. Four auto-rickshaw drivers were allegedly involved in an assault on a Marathi-speaking driver in Mumbai’s Kandivali area after he reportedly refused to participate in a protest against the Marathi proficiency requirement.
The incident took place as the crowd of auto-rickshaw workers gathered on MG Road in protest at the government's language policy. Some protesters also asked other auto drivers to stop driving during the demonstration.
The Maharashtra government’s decision is under challenge in Bombay High Court. Four cab drivers have approached the court through a public interest litigation, seeking a stay on the requirement for auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers to possess working knowledge of Marathi.
The petitioners have said the government’s notification issued on August 12 would be of the greatest harm to lakhs of drivers, particularly economically weaker and migrant drivers. They have pleaded with the court to take action before the requirement is fully implemented.
Mumbai, Maharashtra: On an additional one-year extension given to taxi and cab drivers to learn Marathi, CM Devendra Fadnavis says, "I met representatives of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers' associations. They supported the idea that those working in Mumbai should learn Marathi.… pic.twitter.com/yGJXMwAHoh
— IANS (@ians_india) August 27, 2026
Fadnavis’s latest announcement is thus significant because it stops immediate punitive action and gives drivers time to comply. The one-year period also may also be a chance for the government to explain how it will carry out the implementation process and address driver associations and other stakeholders’ concerns.
The controversy underscores the greater debate of language, employment and identity in Maharashtra. While supporters of the policy argue that drivers should be able to communicate with passengers in the state's official language, opponents have raised concerns about imposing language requirements that could affect employment opportunities.
For now, drivers will have a year to work on Marathi proficiency to become proficient, and the government will not take enforcement action during this time period. The legal challenge before the Bombay High Court could affect the future of the requirement as well as the application of the requirement.
