An Open Letter to …
Sh. Pratap Sarnaik
Hon’ble Minister for Transport,
Government of Maharashtra
Subject : On the Mandatory Marathi Rule for Auto and Taxi Drivers
Maharashtra has now made working knowledge of Marathi compulsory for all commercial passenger vehicle drivers — auto-rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers, and those operating app-based cabs such as Ola, Uber and Rapido. The requirement, which existed in some form since 1989, was tightened through amendments notified in August 2026 and is being enforced statewide from 20 August. Flying squads and RTO teams are checking drivers on the road and at offices. If a driver cannot demonstrate practical, conversational Marathi, he is first given a one-month notice to learn the language. If he still fails after that period, his badge and driving authorisation can be suspended for 3 months. Continued refusal can lead to cancellation of both the badge and the permit. New badges are now issued only after officials verify that the applicant can speak basic Marathi. This is the mechanism currently in operation.
I would like to offer a few observations on the compulsory penalties now being imposed.
1. A large share of this profession is made up of migrant workers from other states (often called “bhaiyyas”) and Muslims. Heavy, sudden penalties risk creating genuine resentment among these groups. 2029 is still some years away, but policies that are seen as targeting the poorest earners can easily turn into an electoral liability for the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance and with this it will be yet difficult for you to break UBT core voters…There is already visible public frustration with years of perceived corruption in the transport department; the “jab jaago tab savera” approach may not be enough to repair that trust. As a Marathi, I want the language to be respected. That respect, when it is freely given, is sufficient.
2. For many drivers the fine is not a small inconvenience. It can wipe out an entire month’s savings that feed families back home.
3. Instead of extracting money from people who are only trying to earn a livelihood, the department should first make its own staff competent, eliminate daily “hafta,” and become genuinely agent-free.
4. A more effective step would be to ask the Crime Branch to identify and permanently remove illegal auto-rickshaws that exist only because of corruption. They should not be allowed to reappear under new names the way blacklisted BMC contractors routinely do.
5. Ola, Uber and similar platforms now dominate the roads (often four app-based vehicles to one regular taxi). Their numbers need to be regulated and restricted.
6. There should be a clear rule that a person who arrives in Maharashtra cannot obtain an auto or taxi permit the very next day.
7. Harsh, poorly designed rules throw away potential voters and create unrest in other sections of society as well.
Digitise permit issuance, fitness checks and complaint redressal so that discretion and therefore corruption is reduced. Technology can achieve more than extra inspectors. Address the root problem of over-supply with a transparent cap on new permits and better last-mile public transport. These steps would reduce daily pressure on every driver and make the language requirement easier to accept.
The intention of protecting Marathi identity is understandable. The method should not look like it is being practised only on those who have the least ability to push back.
Vikrant Meena Hemant Joshi.
