After training 200 drivers, United Way Mumbai, an NGO supported by BP India along with the RTO and Mumbai Taximen’s Union, will involve many more cabbies in the next phase of project
Isolation screens are being put up in the cabs
Buoyed by the success of preparing the first 200 good-old kaali peeli taxis at Wadala for COVID-19, 500 more cabs have been lined up from Andheri RTO in the next phase. A COVID-19-ready cab includes sanitisation, isolation screens and trained drivers.
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The project has been undertaken by the RTO and Mumbai Taximen’s Union with the United Way Mumbai, a community improvement NGO in the city.
“Based on the success of the pilot project implemented at Wadala RTO where about 200 cabbies were involved, in the second phase we will cover over 500 cabs. We will sanitise the cabs, install isolation screens in them and the drivers will attend a 1-1.5 hour long session on road safety and COVID-19 readiness. The project aims to help these cabbies comply with the COVID-19 prevention guidelines issued by the government. Thus, this will ensure safer mobility for the citizens of Mumbai amidst the resurfacing of cases. The project has been supported by BP India,” Ajay Govale, Director-Community Impact, United Way Mumbai, said.
The project that was launched on Thursday also involves providing drivers a COVID-readiness kit, including two reusable six-layer face masks, a surface disinfectant spray bottle, a bottle of hand sanitiser and 10 strips of handwash paper soaps per cab.
The drivers are also given a brief training on preventive measures to be taken for controlling COVID transmission while plying the cab. They are also oriented on the 10 ‘Golden Rules of Road Safety’.