Maharashtra defers action over Marathi rule, to begin training campaign for taxi, auto drivers

The Maharashtra government on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, decided not to strictly implement the decision to make Marathi compulsory for autorickshaw and taxi drivers. Instead, it chose to launch a special verification drive in all 59 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) from May 1, Maharashtra Day, to August 15.

After a meeting held at the Transport Commissioner’s Office, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik announced that while the authority to speak in Marathi remains in force, driving licenses will not be canceled during this period solely due to insufficient language proficiency.