Mira Road Rickshaw Protest Escalates Over Marathi Rule; RTO Fines 25 Drivers, Warns Of Permit Cancellation | Video

The controversy surrounding Marathi language proficiency among autorickshaw drivers in Mira Road has escalated, leading to a protest and potential penalties for drivers who do not speak the local language. Some drivers, who are aged 55-60 and lack formal education, are demanding more time to learn Marathi. They argue that their lack of formal education does not hinder their ability to speak broken Marathi.

The protest resulted in traffic disruptions as drivers parked their vehicles on the road. In response, the Mira-Bhayandar Regional Transport Office (RTO) took action against approximately 25 autorickshaw drivers, fining them around ₹7,000 in total. The authorities have warned of strict action against drivers who mistreat passengers or force them to disembark from their rickshaw.

Additionally, the RTO official Prasad Nalawade stated that further action would be taken against drivers who violate the rules, including the cancellation of their permits. The Maharashtra Transport Department has emphasized that autorickshaw drivers must possess knowledge of Marathi and be capable of communicating with passengers in the local language.

After receiving a deadline to prove their Marathi proficiency, some drivers in the Mira Road area initiated a protest. During the protest, certain drivers were accused of being disrespectful to passengers. The incident has drawn attention to the need for a more equitable approach to language proficiency requirements for autorickshaw drivers in Mumbai and surrounding areas.

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