The statewide exercise was pitched as a major compliance push aimed to crack down on permit violations, fake licences and unauthorised passenger services. (Express Photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)The Maharashtra government’s much-publicised 100-day verification drive targeting autorickshaws, taxis and other public service vehicles got off to a subdued start on Friday, with minimal enforcement on the ground as Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) remained shut for Maharashtra Day.The statewide exercise was pitched as a major compliance push aimed to crack down on permit violations, fake licences and unauthorised passenger services, while also assessing drivers’ basic Marathi proficiency. However, across Mumbai, there was little visible sign of enforcement on Day 1, with no coordinated checks at key junctions, railway stations or transport hubs.Transport Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar confirmed that the drive had formally commenced but declined to share operational details. “The verification drive has started from today onwards. However, I cannot share the specific locations where on-ground checks are occurring,” he said.Officials acknowledged that the holiday significantly limited deployment. With RTO offices closed, routine coordination and field mobilisation were curtailed, restricting inspections to a handful of locations. “Proper enforcement action will begin from Monday,” a senior RTO official said.Autorickshaws and taxis operated as usual through peak hours, with drivers reporting no encounters with inspection teams.The drive follows a recent push by Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik who last month warned that permits of public service vehicle drivers could be cancelled if they do not know Marathi. The Transport Department had under the ambit of this drive also initiated a plan to identify violations such as invalid permits, fake licences and illegal passenger services.Taxi and autorickshaw union leader Shashank Rao said there was no visible inspection as no auto or taxi driver reported inspection across Mumbai. “Since today was a holiday, there was no checking on the ground. Neither taxi nor autorickshaw drivers reported any inspections across the city. Usually, when such drives begin, there is some visible enforcement, but nothing of that sort happened today. We are expecting proper enforcement to begin from Monday, when officials start verification of documents and conduct surveys, including checks related to Marathi,” said Rao.Story continues below this adThe exercise, scheduled to run till mid-August, will span all RTO jurisdictions across Maharashtra.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Marathimumbai news