On the fourth day of the Maharashtra government’s Marathi language rule crackdown on migrant auto and taxi drivers, notices were served even to those who had attended the language classes during the 105-day campaign.

On Monday, August 24, regional transport offices (RTOs) deployed flying squads to conduct on-ground checks of auto and taxi drivers’ Marathi-speaking skills.

In Ghatkopar, near the railway station entry point, a team of four officials from the Wadala RTO stopped drivers and tested their Marathi knowledge.

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While most drivers appeared to clear the basic test, some struggled to respond despite having attended the sessions.

Auto-driver Mritunjay Singh, who came to Maharashtra from Uttar Pradesh, produced a certificate as proof that he had completed the training programme.

“I attended the four classes back in July but was not able to pick up on speaking the language owing to the differences in the tone and difficulties in the dialect,” he said.

Rahul Pawar, Motor Vehicle Inspector at the Wadala RTO, said several drivers appeared hesitant to speak Marathi despite being able to understand it. “We try to encourage them from our end, adding that they must know at least conversational Marathi to speak to passengers,” Pawar said.

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RTO officials inspect Marathi language proficiency among auto-rickshaw drivers.

On Day 1 of the Marathi test, 1,268 were issued notices, and the next day, 1,499 were served.

Those who failed to show that they understand basic Marathi have been given a month to learn the language. Following this, they will be called to the nearest RTO for another oral test.

The drivers’ protest today

While migrant auto and taxi drivers were being tested for their working knowledge of Marathi, some gathered in Kandivali to block the link road near Laljipada and protest against ‘harassment’ and the huge penalty they had been facing since the rule came into force.

Non-Marathi-speaking drivers blocked roads on Kandivali Link Road near Laljipada, disrupting traffic. They alleged that some native Marathi-speaking auto drivers had been warning migrant drivers, asking them to learn the language.

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The crackdown has also led some migrant drivers to alter their routes to avoid encounters with enforcement teams.

The driver, who attended the government’s Marathi classes, said the test appeared to go beyond the 16 phrases taught during the programme, questioning how he can be expected to have a full conversation in Marathi instantly.