Pune: Trip refusals in Pune continue unabated, despite the new Marathi language regulation putting autorickshaw drivers on edge. What has changed, however, is the way drivers are making excuses, with many now switching to Marathi amid fears that RTO inspectors could pose as passengers to test their language skills.Drivers are citing reasons ranging from low CNG and heavy traffic to poor health — all in Marathi, leaving passengers unfamiliar with the language struggling to understand.“The other day I stopped an autorickshaw as I had to go to a mall around 2km away. After hearing my destination, the driver said, ‘CNG khoop kami aahe, mhanun mi petrol pump kade jaat aahe’ (CNG is very low, so I am going to the petrol pump). I understood him, but before I could respond, he drove away. The second driver said he was unwell,” said Koregaon Park resident Sumedha Kumar.BT Kawade Road resident Ashish Yogi faced a similar situation last week. “I had to go to Wanowrie and knew drivers would create problems, as it has happened before. An autorickshaw driver accepted the ride through an app but later called to say he would charge an additional Rs 100 because fares had increased. When I refused, he told me the autorickshaw had broken down suddenly and asked me to cancel,” he said.Pune regional transport officer Archana Gaikwad told TOI that 15 autorickshaw drivers had so far been served notices for not knowing basic Marathi. Random checks will continue, she said. “We are also contemplating asking some officers to pose as passengers and check drivers’ Marathi-speaking skills,” another RTO official said.The possibility of such checks has made some drivers wary. Drivers uncomfortable speaking Marathi said they were parking away from passengers and first “checking out” potential customers before approaching them, fearing they could be RTO officials.“Learning a new language, even basic speaking, isn’t easy. The RTO trained around 600 drivers, but the number of those who don’t know Marathi is far higher. Why didn’t they coordinate better so everyone could be trained? Getting a notice means we have to learn the language within a month or face a three-month badge suspension. We cannot take chances,” said an autorickshaw driver requesting anonymity.Some drivers are also restricting themselves to shorter trips. “I haven’t been able to learn the language and don’t think I can. I am taking short trips in my area until the frequency of checks reduces. Some passengers are deliberately speaking to us in Marathi to see if the initiative has worked, and we don’t want to get into trouble,” said a Kondhwa-based driver.Passengers, meanwhile, said the regulation has done little to address the long-standing problem of refusals. “We continue to face uncertainty and inconvenience while trying to find an auto. Authorities should have focused on this aspect first. Their priorities seem completely wrong, with passenger convenience coming last,” said Vimannagar resident and commuter Dinesh Pathak.
