Free Marathi classes for drivers; rollout plan unclear ahead of May 1 checks | Mumbai News
3 min readMumbaiApr 23, 2026 10:26 PM IST
With a statewide drive to assess drivers’ proficiency in the state language set to begin on May 1, the Maharashtra transport authority has roped in literary bodies to offer free training to auto, taxi and app-based drivers who don’t speak Marathi — even as key aspects of the rollout remain undefined.
At a meeting convened by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Thursday, various organisations, including Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh and Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad, expressed willingness to design and implement a structured programme focused on basic conversational skills.
Officials said the training will be conducted free of cost through a hybrid model of offline classes and online modules. The Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad has prepared holding sessions through its 72 branches across the state, while the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh plans to mobilise volunteer teachers for digital lessons. A curriculum is expected to be finalised shortly.
“Without putting unnecessary pressure on drivers, we will teach them basic conversational skills in a friendly environment,” Sarnaik said. “The idea is to improve communication between drivers and passengers and remove any fear among non-native speakers.”
However, the transport department has not clarified how many drivers will be covered or how attendance will be ensured, especially given the long and irregular working hours in the sector. In Mumbai alone, there are around 2.8 lakh autorickshaw permits and around 20,000 taxi permits, employing nearly five lakh drivers across shifts — raising concerns about how the programme will be scaled.
The initiative comes just ahead of inspections scheduled from May 1, coinciding with Maharashtra Day, when authorities will verify whether drivers possess basic functional knowledge of Marathi along with valid permits. Officials said the drive will also be used to identify irregularities such as fake licences.
“The requirement is not new. It already exists in the rules. We are only ensuring that it is implemented more effectively and extended to app-based services,” Sarnaik said.
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The state is also working on an aggregator policy that proposes to make knowledge of Marathi mandatory for drivers associated with platforms such as Ola and Uber, though these drivers may not be part of the initial round of checks.
Driver unions, however, have flagged gaps in the plan. Shashank Sharad Rao of the Autorickshaw Chalak Malak Sanghatana Sanyukt Kruti Samiti Maharashtra said, “There is no clarity on how this will be implemented, especially for app-based drivers. Their data is with the companies, so how will the government identify and regulate them?”
He added, “Drivers work long hours. The government must explain how they expect them to attend training and when these sessions will be conducted.”
