Speak Marathi to stay in driver’s seat: Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik

Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik on Monday (April 27, 2026) said that non-Marathi speaking rickshaw and taxi drivers across the State will have to speak basic Marathi from May 1. The announcement followed a meeting with union representatives at the Mantralaya.

The decision comes after a strike call issued by non-Marathi speaking drivers for May 4, which had sparked a controversy. Mr. Sarnaik said the unions have agreed to the language requirement, but have sought extensions of three months, six months, or a year.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr. Sarnaik said that when a passenger sits in the back seat, the driver should be able to say: “What service do you require?”, “Where would you like to go?”, and “How much is the fare?” He added that this requirement will be extended to drivers of Ola, Uber, and Rapido in the future.