Maharashtra Mandates Marathi Language Proficiency for App-Based Taxi Drivers
The state of Maharashtra has made working knowledge of the Marathi language a mandatory requirement for app-based taxi drivers operating within the state. This affects services like Ola, Uber, and Rapido.
The Maharashtra government has officially mandated that app-based taxi drivers must possess a working knowledge of the Marathi language. This new regulation applies to drivers operating within the state for ride-hailing platforms such as Ola, Uber, and Rapido.
State Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik stated that the requirement aims to ensure effective communication between drivers and passengers. The amendments were introduced to address issues arising from drivers exploiting ambiguities in previous rules to bypass the language proficiency requirement.
Amendments to the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, stipulate that drivers can face license suspension for up to three months or cancellation. The transport department will be organizing 105-day Marathi training programs to facilitate compliance.
This language mandate is part of broader regulatory efforts by the state. App-based aggregators like Ola, Uber, and Rapido have been given a September 1 deadline to apply for an aggregator license, with potential actions against non-compliant companies.