Mumbai:
Maharashtra’s Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) have started a ‘test’ for those auto rickshaw drivers who have been short-listed to secure a permit. Bizarre it may sound, but in order to qualify, a candidate must know how to read Marathi.
Terming it as a ‘laughable’ move, Mumbai’s auto union has said that it will protest against the rule outside the Andheri, Wadala and Borivali RTOs.
In a bid to ensure the drivers know Marathi, the government has decided that the auto drivers will be asked to read out literature written in Marathi as part of their test.
“We will be bringing these lottery winners in batches and would ask them to read out Marathi. It is mandatory for the drivers to know the local language, despite the education criteria being eased out,” an RTO officer was quoted as saying.
“The RTOs will be asking these permit winners to read the Marathi language, which according to us is laughable. It seems that the authorities haven’t done any homework. The drivers should only know the local language and there is no need for them to read it out,” Shashank Rao, president of Mumbai Autorickshaw Taximen’s Union was quoted as saying.
