Back in January when India reported its first coronavirus case it was little known that the virus would re-shape not just our living but also life’s daily activities like celebration of festivals. Due to the pandemic, People are avoiding travel but Diwali is one such festival that involves people traveling back to their home for the celebration. With the use of technology, one can travel back to their home with ease and safety.
As the pandemic forced young Indians who are living out of their home towns for education or employment purposes to avoid leisure breaks are now looking to travel this week. Families who have spent time during the pandemic in cities are now planning to travel. The travel industry is taking measures like ensuring social distancing, hygiene, and monitoring.
Considering the festive mood, many start-ups have come forward to help the travel industry to secure people while they are traveling to their homes this weekend. These start-ups are helping from airports, giving tablets to check Covid compliance, an AI-based virtual assistant.
The red bus app has started taking advance booking 15days prior while more than 1900 Private Bus Operators and 17 State Regional Transport Corporations are increasing buses to handle the peak during the festival.
Many startups tied up with these companies to provide a safe travel experience.
VAMS Global
A top provider of Visitor Management Systems has built a new device VAMS SafeGuard that can scan through a distance up to 18” and check body temperatures and mask compliance using face and palm recognition sensors.
The company offers hands-free hygienic user authentication. When a passing passenger doesn’t follow any of the protocols a signal is generated to prevent entry. The system also monitors people in real-time.
Bluesemi
A Hyderabad based start-up is developing the internet of things (IoT) devices for smart and sustainable technology during the pandemic. The company has come up with a device called SENS- a contactless temperature sensor with medical-grade accuracy and shows the temperature in 5 seconds.
The app also issues a risk alert if it records a temperature above the threshold. The device charging will last up to 15 days.
Juvo Robotics
This start-up is bringing the latest advances in technology to help the aircraft ground handling industry that lacks innovation and use traditional methods instead. The company is developing an end-to-end automated baggage handling system to increase safety, productivity, and reduce costs for airlines.
Amid the pandemic, the company developed an automatic baggage tug that can transport carts with checked-in baggage between terminal and gates automatically.
RubiQ
This start-up helps airlines recover from flight disruptions and retains its customers along with helping in reducing costs by helping passengers to self-manage the whole process through an AI-based virtual assistant.
However, a new survey found many people are not ready to book their tickets before and many are afraid to travel due to the pandemic. The survey reveals three percent of the respondents are planning to travel to a holiday destination.
While 13 percent said they will visit their family and friends and three percent said they are planning both. “Only 19 percent citizens (respondents of the survey) say they will undertake festive travel this year due to COVID-19. Of those who plan to travel, only 23 percent say they will travel by a flight, and another 38 percent plan to travel by car or a cab,” LocalCircles survey revealed.