By Express News Service KOCHI: At a time when taxi drivers are most vulnerable to contracting Covid-19 across the globe, Ernakulam district administration has come out with a novel idea to ensure the safety of drivers. The district administration recently launched a fibreglass partition to ensure that taxi drivers do not come into physical contact with passengers. According to officials, fibre clear glass is easy to install. The district administration will suggest that all taxi drivers use the partition. “Before a passenger enters the taxi, the driver will provide a sanitiser. The driver will open the door of the car and the passenger will not be allowed to touch it. Drivers will be asked to adopt online money transactions. Thus, there would not be any contacts between the driver and the passenger,” an official said. Only two passengers will be permitted to travel in the taxi and both will be seated at the rear. “No passenger will be permitted to sit in front. The passengers should compulsorily wear masks. The driver has to wear both mask and gloves. Similarly, the car has to be cleaned after each ride,” he said. Also, air-conditioning of the car will not be permitted as it might facilitate the spread of the virus. The drivers will be asked to keep all windows of the vehicle open to ensure proper air circulation. “In some places, transparent plastic sheets are used as a curtain between the front driver seat and rear passenger seat. The fibre clear glass can be fitted in all taxis,” an official said. In Ernakulam itself, a taxi driver turned Covid positive after another Covid patient hired his taxi from the airport to Chullikkal. Currently, no taxis are plying in Kochi. But it may be permitted as Ernakulam district was placed in the green zone by the government of India recently.

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