Mumbai, 25 August: Widespread alarm among autorickshaw and taxi drivers over rumours that the state government's Marathi proficiency drive carried steep penalties erupted into street demonstrations across several Mumbai suburbs on Monday, disrupting morning travel and prompting the Chief Minister to step in to defuse tensions.
Where protests took place and what sparked them
Videos circulating on social media showed groups of drivers staging demonstrations in Kandivali, Malad (West), Santacruz, Dahisar and Andheri, among other localities. During some protests, drivers tried to prevent colleagues from ferrying passengers, inconveniencing commuters during peak hours, officials said.
A senior regional transport official at the Borivali RTO told reporters they had learnt that someone had spread misinformation that drivers who did not have ‘working knowledge’ of Marathi would face fines of ₹5,000 to ₹20,000. The official characterised the viral claims as inaccurate and said the RTO was monitoring the situation.
State response and reassurance
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis intervened to allay concerns, saying the objective of the government’s drive mandating a working knowledge of Marathi was not to produce language experts but to ensure drivers can communicate in the local language for work-related situations. According to his statement, drivers had been given additional time to learn the language and no licence had been cancelled.
"There is no reason to make them experts in Marathi. They should know work-related, basic Marathi," the Chief Minister said, according to official accounts.
The intervention aimed to calm the panic that had spread through WhatsApp and other platforms, where unverified messages and doctored screenshots purportedly issued by authorities had circulated among transport unions and driver groups.
Official findings and ongoing measures
The Borivali RTO official reiterated that the administration had not imposed punitive fines in the range being circulated and that enforcement would focus on ensuring drivers can handle essential Marathi phrases relevant to fares, routes and passenger assistance. The official said outreach and training measures were being considered to help drivers meet the requirement.
- Affected suburbs: Kandivali, Malad (West), Santacruz, Dahisar, Andheri and other locations.
- Rumoured fine range: ₹5,000–₹20,000 (called misinformation by RTO).
- Government position: No licences cancelled; additional time given to learn basic Marathi.
Transport officials are reported to be engaging with driver associations to clarify the policy, verify credentials circulating on social platforms and prevent further disruptions to commuter services. The demonstrations, while not centrally coordinated, underscored how quickly local policy changes and misinformation can affect Mumbai’s daily commute.
| Issue | Reported/Official |
|---|---|
| Fines for lack of Marathi | Rumoured ₹5,000–₹20,000; dismissed as misinformation by Borivali RTO |
| Licence cancellations | None reported; CM said no licences cancelled |
| Government action | Additional time given; focus on basic, work‑related Marathi; outreach planned |
For commuters, the episode was a reminder of Mumbai’s fragile dependence on last‑mile transport. Autorickshaw and taxi drivers, many of whom operate in the suburbs and serve daily wage workers and office commuters, said they were anxious about policy changes communicated via informal networks rather than through official channels.
Transport department officials said they will intensify awareness drives at RTOs and local transport unions, and urged drivers to rely on official notices rather than social‑media forwards. Meanwhile, the municipal and state agencies will continue discussions with driver representatives to ensure training and compliance measures are practical for the city’s workforce.
As Mumbai navigates the implementation of language requirements intended to improve commuter interactions, officials emphasised that measures would be calibrated to avoid penalising drivers and to support their ability to serve the city’s millions of passengers.
