The knowledge of conversational Marathi has been made mandatory for commercial passenger vehicle drivers in Maharashtra by the state government to ensure better communication with passengers. An inspection drive to enforce this rule started across the state on Thursday. Drivers found lacking adequate knowledge of conversational Marathi during inspections will be issued a notice and required to learn the language within one month. Failure to learn Marathi within the stipulated period will result in the suspension of the driver’s badge for three months.