Maharashtra will begin the second phase of its Marathi training programme for non-Marathi-speaking vehicle drivers on October 2, with classes aimed at helping auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers communicate with passengers in basic Marathi.
The programme will run at selected centres from October 2, 2026, to January 23, 2027, according to an official statement. It is being conducted by the state Transport Department, the State Marathi Development Institute and the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad under the leadership of Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik.
The second phase will be formally launched at 11 am at Anand Vishva Gurukul College in Raghunath Nagar, in Thane district. Officials said the programme follows an earlier phase in which large numbers of auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers received Marathi-language training and certificates in several parts of Maharashtra.
The course has been designed for drivers who do not speak Marathi and will focus on commonly used words, sentence formation and conversational skills needed during everyday interactions with passengers. The stated objective is to help drivers understand and speak basic Marathi while providing transport services in the state.
Sarnaik said the campaign was intended to give drivers working in Maharashtra an opportunity to learn and speak Marathi with confidence. He said the initiative was not directed against any particular language or community, but was intended to promote Marathi as a language of communication in the state.
The training is being conducted following a suggestion from Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the statement said. Similar Marathi-language training has already been provided to non-Marathi-speaking auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers in parts of the state.
The government has also extended the deadline for non-Marathi-speaking drivers to learn Marathi until August 28, 2027, following a request from a drivers’ organisation, Sarnaik said. He clarified that the extension did not mean the underlying requirement had been withdrawn.
According to the minister, drivers who fail to comply with the applicable rules after the extended deadline could face action under the law. The statement did not specify the nature of the action or identify the specific rules that would apply.
The second phase therefore combines classroom-based language training with a longer compliance timeline for drivers. Its immediate focus is on selected training centres and basic passenger communication, while the extended deadline sets the next formal milestone for drivers covered by the applicable requirement.
