Safety is supreme for this savvy Chennai auto driver

With the government allowing taxis and autos to resume services from June 1, R Dilip Kumar is back on the city roads with his auto after more than two months. But in the new normal scenario, this auto driver sports a completely new look — PPE suit, et al! “It’s important to ensure safety during this pandemic,” he states matter-of-factly when we meet him for a chat near Guindy railway station, where he’d come to drop off a passenger.
“Actually, I am a professional photographer.But I couldn’t make enough out of the few weddings that I covered each month. So, I decided to rent an auto. Unfortunately, two days after that, the lockdown was announced. Now, I’ve started to drive again because I have to run my house, but I also realised it’s necessary to ensure safety during these COVID-19 times. Hence, the PPE suit! I got it from a place in Arumbakkam,” says Dilip, even as he starts cleaning the auto seats with a sanitiser. “I clean it before and after every ride. I have to ensure my passengers’ safety as well,” he smiles.
He’s also fixed a plastic sheet between the driver seat and the passenger seat. “I remove and wash this screen daily,” he adds. His auto is equipped with extra masks and sanitiser.
“Passengers have to use hand sanitiser before they enter the auto and wear a mask. If they don’t have one, I give them from the stock I have. If they can afford it, they pay me for the masks, or else, I give it to them for free,” he says.
Dilip starts his day at 8am and finishes his trips by 2pm. “Once I wear the PPE, I’ll not be
able to eat or drink anything. So, I ride for six hours and go back home for lunch. There’s a separate place to remove the suit and clothes, disinfect them and take a bath. Only after that do I even enter the house,” says Dilip, who now rides for around 25km every day.