Mumbai Auto Drivers Stay Home Amid Marathi Language Crackdown
· India · Indian Express, Times of India, NDTV
Fewer auto-rickshaws and taxis operated across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region as commercial drivers stayed off the roads to avoid transport department checks regarding Marathi proficiency. The Maharashtra government initiated a statewide inspection drive in areas including Thane, Sion, Kurla, Dadar, and Mumbai Central, deploying multiple flying squads to test drivers on basic working knowledge of Marathi. On the first day of checks, 8,217 drivers were tested across the state, resulting in 1,268 notices served to those deemed lacking proficiency, including 604 in the MMR. Drivers who fail a second check face a three-month suspension of their public service vehicle badges and licenses. Many affected drivers reported difficulties in securing timely admission to local language training classes.
Why it matters
Daily commuters in Mumbai faced reduced transport availability as thousands of drivers opted to stay home, while commercial vehicle operators risked license suspensions under the stringent language proficiency enforcement.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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