The deadly coronavirus has no cure yet and social distancing is the only way to stop it. Keeping this in mind, a Tripura man has built an electric motorbike with a one-metre gap between the rider and the passenger. Partha Saha, who hails from Aralia village near Agartala, has designed this bike to send the message about the importance of social distancing in the COVID-19 pandemic.
To design this bike, 39-year-old Saha purchased an old two-wheeler from a scrap dealer and used more than a meter rod to separate the wheels. The bike is battery operated and takes at least three hours to get fully charged. It can cover a distance of up to 80 kms on a full charge.
Saha assembled this bike following social distancing inside his garage at his house. He has named it ‘COVID-19 bike.’
VIDEO: An Indian school drop-out has built a motorbike with a one-metre gap between the rider and the passenger to drive home the importance of social distancing in the coronavirus pandemic pic.twitter.com/BDhvoq4cs1
— AFP news agency (@AFP) May 1, 2020
“Now I can ride with my eight-year-old daughter while maintaining a safe distance,” he was quoted as saying by AFP.
Shah’s innovation has been noticed by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb who took to microblogging site Twitter to praise the man.
“Necessity is the mother of invention! I congratulate Partha Saha of Tripura for making an unique motorcycle to create awareness during COVID-19 pandemic. The electric bike has 1 metre distance between two seats. He has designed it to take his daughter to school post lockdown,” Deb tweeted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on March 24 announced nationwide lockdown till April 14 and had requested everyone to follow social distancing to contain the spread of COVID-19. However, the lockdown was later extended till May 3.
