Mumbai: Auto and taxi drivers will not be immediately cancelled their licenses and permits if they do not know Marathi. But it will be mandatory for them to learn Marathi. New Delhi: The transport department on Tuesday decided to conduct a special verification drive from May 1 to August 15 to effectively implement the decision to make Marathi language compulsory for rickshaw and taxi drivers in the state.

Under this, strict action will be taken against drivers who violate the rules and make illegal transport. However, the license will not be cancelled just on the basis of not knowing Marathi, but action will be taken under other legal rules.

The leadership of this drive has been handed over to a committee headed by Additional Transport Commissioner Ravindra Gaikwad. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said that after the 100-day campaign, a full report will be submitted on August 16 and further policy decisions will be taken accordingly.

Talking about this, the Transport Minister said that in the meeting held with the representatives of the Rickshaw-Taxi Organization on Monday, all the organizations have given positive feedback on the decision to make Marathi language mandatory and have shown full support. He has accepted that "if you want to do business in Maharashtra, then Marathi language is necessary. "All the 59 RTOs in the state have been instructed to run a special inspection campaign from May 1.