The Maharashtra Transport Department is set to work out how it will enforce the state’s new Marathi language requirement for auto-rickshaw, taxi and app-based cab drivers, with senior officials scheduled to meet on August 19 to decide how drivers’ language skills will be assessed and what action will be taken against those who fail to meet the prescribed standard.

The meeting has been convened by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik following the notification of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026, on August 12. Under the revised rules, drivers of commercial passenger transport vehicles must have a “working knowledge of Marathi language”.

Officials are also expected to discuss the enforcement mechanism and the action to be taken against drivers found lacking the required proficiency.

As per the proposed enforcement plan, drivers who fail to demonstrate adequate Marathi proficiency will first be issued a notice and given one month to learn the language. If they fail to comply, their licence could be suspended for three months. Repeated violations could lead to permanent suspension of the licence.

From August 18, motor vehicle officials were expected to begin checking drivers’ basic Marathi skills during routine enforcement drives conducted by RTO flying squads and enforcement teams. The August 19 meeting will determine how these assessments are to be carried out and how violations will be recorded and acted upon.

The scale of the exercise is significant. Maharashtra has 9.78 lakh valid permits for auto-rickshaws and taxis, including 9.16 lakh auto-rickshaw permits and 61,657 taxi permits. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region accounts for around 4.62 lakh of these permits.

However, only 1.65 lakh drivers have enrolled in the state’s Marathi training initiative, according to the Transport Department. Of these, around 17,000 are yet to officially complete the training.

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The department launched the ‘Hinduhridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Marathi Shikvani Abhiyan’ around three-and-a-half months ago to help drivers acquire conversational Marathi. Although the classes have concluded, officials said support would continue through other initiatives for drivers who have not yet acquired the required proficiency.