Maharashtra rickshaw, taxi drivers could lose badge for failing Marathi requirement from August 20: Minister

Practical knowledge of Marathi will be mandatory for autorickshaw and taxi drivers in Maharashtra from Thursday, August 20, with drivers who fail to meet the requirement facing suspension of their badges, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Wednesday.

Drivers who do not have practical knowledge of Marathi will initially be given one month to learn the language. If they fail to acquire the required knowledge within this period, their badge will be suspended for up to three months. If they subsequently refuse to learn Marathi deliberately, action will be taken to cancel their badge and licence, Sarnaik said at a press conference.