COIMBATORE: In an attempt to ensure safe travel for his customers, a Coimbatore-based private taxi owner has customized his vehicle's interior by fixing transparent mica sheets. This will help his customer avoid physical contact with both the driver and the fellow passenger.
Speaking to TNIE, R Amar (38) from Kavundampalayam said he came up with this idea as taxi drivers, who are back to business, have high chances of contracting the novel coronavirus. His friend Bilal, a car decorator, has helped him execute his plan of partitioning both rows of the car and its passenger seats.
"As per the guidelines, only two passengers will be permitted to travel in the taxi and both will be seated at the rear row of the vehicle. So, the interior partitioning, which was launched officially in Kerala using fiberglass, is an arrangement made to ensure their safety. I preferred transparent mica sheets as it is more flexible than fiberglass. This arrangement costs 2,000 per vehicle," he explained.
If the State government makes this arrangement mandatory in all cabs, people could travel without any fear of contracting the viral infection, Amar added.