Traffic was disrupted on Kandivali Link Road on Monday after some non-Marathi-speaking autorickshaw drivers parked their vehicles on the road to protest against the reported requirement for Marathi language proficiency among autorickshaw and taxi drivers.
The protest caused traffic to slow down and led to long queues of vehicles, inconveniencing commuters and motorists in the area. The disruption reportedly continued for around 20 minutes.
The protestors also allegedly stopped some autorickshaw drivers who were carrying passengers and pressured other drivers to halt services. However, Mumbai’s recognised autorickshaw and taxi unions have clarified that no official strike or protest has been called by any authorised union.
Shashank Rao, president of the Mumbai Autorickshaw-Taximens Union, said the agitation was taking place because some drivers were reportedly apprehensive about possible action against them and had been influenced by misunderstandings regarding the rules.
The union has asked the government to give drivers a three-month extension and refrain from taking punitive action during this period. A delegation is expected to meet the transport minister and submit a formal representation on the issue.
The union has also appealed to drivers to continue providing services and urged commuters not to believe rumours about an official strike.Meanwhile, reports of drivers being prevented from operating and the road being blocked at places such as Kandivali and Malvani have raised concerns over disruptions to public transport. Authorities are monitoring the situation as the dispute over the Marathi language requirement continues.