Autorickshaw services were affected in parts of Mumbai on Monday as drivers began a three-day strike against a Maharashtra government rule requiring commercial passenger vehicle operators to have a functional knowledge of Marathi.

Protesting drivers said their objection was not to the language itself, but to the practical difficulty of expecting older and uneducated workers to acquire Marathi within a limited period. Several also expressed concern that failure to meet the requirement could result in fines, suspension of licences or other punitive action.

One driver said many workers had spent decades in the profession and could not be expected to suddenly become proficient in a language they had never formally learned. Another said drivers with little or no schooling were already attempting to communicate in basic Marathi but feared being penalised despite their efforts.

The protesters have said they will continue their strike for three days while seeking changes to the implementation of the directive.

TRANSPORT MINISTER SAYS NO FINES BEFORE NOTICE PERIOD ENDS

Amid concerns about penalties, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik warned Regional Transport Office officials against taking action before the prescribed notice period expires.

Under the government resolution issued on August 12, commercial passenger vehicle drivers who do not possess adequate working knowledge of Marathi must first be given one month to learn the language.

Only after that period can further action be initiated. According to the framework, a driver's licence and badge may be suspended if the requirement is still not met, following which an additional three months can be provided to acquire the necessary language skills. Persistent failure to comply could eventually result in the cancellation of the licence.

Sarnaik said officials found imposing penalties before the initial one-month window had ended could themselves face action.

The clarification followed a meeting between Sarnaik and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam, who alleged that some drivers had already been fined without receiving the full notice period. Nirupam also claimed that penalties in certain cases had reached as high as Rs 25,000.

THOUSANDS OF DRIVERS RECEIVE NOTICES

The enforcement exercise has already affected thousands of commercial drivers across Maharashtra.

On August 20, RTO authorities issued notices to 1,268 drivers, largely those operating autorickshaws and taxis, over insufficient knowledge of Marathi. The following day, another 1,499 notices were reportedly issued to non-Marathi-speaking commercial vehicle drivers in different parts of the state.

At the same time, the government has begun efforts to help drivers meet the requirement. Sarnaik said around 1.65 lakh autorickshaw and taxi drivers who do not speak Marathi had participated in language classes so far.

FADNAVIS SAYS DRIVERS ONLY NEED FUNCTIONAL MARATHI

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has sought to reassure drivers that the government is not demanding fluency or advanced language skills.

According to Fadnavis, the objective is for commercial vehicle drivers to understand and use Marathi at a basic, work-related level so they can communicate effectively with passengers.

He also said the state government would not permit discrimination or unfair treatment based on language and indicated that drivers could be given more time if necessary.

Fadnavis further clarified that no driving licence had been cancelled so far under the new directive. The government's stated objective, he said, is to facilitate basic communication while also protecting Maharashtra's linguistic and cultural identity.

The dispute now centres less on whether drivers should learn Marathi and more on how the rule should be implemented, particularly for older workers and those with limited formal education. With the three-day strike underway, the government's assurance against premature penalties is likely to remain a key issue in discussions with protesting drivers.