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A very important and strict rule has been implemented for the drivers driving auto or taxi on the roads of Maharashtra. The state government has made knowledge of Marathi language completely mandatory for operating commercial vehicles. According to the new rules, now if a driver does not know Marathi, he will be given notice first and his driving license and even permit can be canceled if he does not learn the language within a certain time limit. This step of the government has increased the concerns of thousands of drivers across the state.
New order and action outline of Transport Department
Following the announcement by state Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, a massive and special checking drive has been launched against auto and taxi drivers without Marathi knowledge. Under the new guidelines of the Transport Department, flying squads of RTOs (regional transport offices) have become active across Maharashtra. To ensure complete transparency in the investigation process, complete videography of the campaign is also being done. Officials have been given clear instructions to check the linguistic proficiency of the drivers on the road and ensure that they follow the rules.
Three month ultimatum and license cancellation rule
According to the rules of the transport department, drivers who do not have basic knowledge of Marathi language during the test will initially be issued a warning notice.
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Notice and Deadline: After receiving the notice, drivers will be given adequate time to learn Marathi so that they can become comfortable with the language.
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Suspension and Cancellation: If the driver fails to learn the language even after the prescribed three-month period has passed, his driving license and commercial badge will be suspended for three months. Despite this, if there is no improvement, strict action will be taken to cancel their vehicle permit and license forever.
Concerns of unions and fear of corruption
This decision of the government has created panic among thousands of drivers coming from other states and earning their livelihood in Maharashtra. Auto-taxi unions have raised some serious questions regarding this rule. DM Gosavi, leader of ‘Seva Sarathi Auto Rickshaw Taxi and Transport Union’, says that the government has talked about ‘working knowledge’, but no clear and concrete definition has been fixed for it. The unions believe that due to lack of clarity in the rules, there is a possibility of increase in financial exploitation of drivers and corruption by RTO officials on the ground.
Government’s stand and trend so far
Amidst all these concerns, the Maharashtra government clearly says that the purpose of this rule is not to affect the livelihood of any poor or working person, but to promote the convenience of local travelers and respect for the language. Data from the transport department shows that since the initiative was launched a few months ago, more than 1,65,601 drivers from across Maharashtra have come forward voluntarily to learn Marathi. The plan is to bring about six lakh auto and taxi drivers from across the state, including the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), under this ambit so that they can learn the language in time and avoid any legal action.