Mumbai: Non-Marathi auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in Maharashtra who fail to obtain a Marathi language proficiency certificate by Aug 15 will face action, the state transport department said on Friday.The department has made it mandatory for all non-Marathi auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers to complete a four-hour ‘Marathi Bhasha Samvad Pathyakram’ (Marathi communication course) between June 1 and Aug 15, 2026.The Maharashtra State Marathi Language Department, Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad and Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh have been designated as authorised institutions to conduct the course for free. Certificates issued by these bodies alone will be recognised by the transport department.Transport Department Joint Commissioner Ravi Gaikwad said 71 training centres have been set up across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and around 4,500 teachers associated with the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad have been roped in.Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials are also extending assistance to drivers for enrolment and completion of the course, he said.The main objective of the programme is to remove language barriers between passengers and drivers, improve service quality and enhance professional opportunities for drivers, the department said in a statement.“After August 15, 2026, legal and penal action will be taken against non-Marathi drivers who do not possess the certificate,” it warned.The intention was not to penalise the drivers but to ensure that they avail of the free training and obtain the certificate within the stipulated period, Gaikwad said. PTI
