Navigating the New Normal: Steering Through a Contactless Post-Lockdown World

In 2018, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways acknowledged that digital copies of documents would be considered valid. This means that if you’re ever pulled over by a traffic cop while driving, you no longer have to rifle through your glove box to find your driving license, Insurance , PUC, registration card and other documents. Instead, you can use the DigiLocker and mParivahan applications to scan, authenticate and store your files. You simply need to open the relevant document and show it to the police officer to allow him or her to check the necessary details. A simple image of your documents will not suffice. Only documents that have been stored on these government-approved apps will be recognised.

In March, the Confederation of All India Traders raised concern that the handling of cash could further spread the coronavirus. While it’s true that there is no conclusive study stating that the virus can be spread via paper currency, we firmly believe that it’s better to be safe rather than sorry. Thankfully, at the end of last year, the government made it mandatory for all vehicle owners to get a valid FASTag sticker for their cars. This was done to enable quick and contactless payments at all national highway toll booths across the country. There are still some places where you can opt to pay the toll in cash, but right now, cash transactions should be avoided at all costs. So whenever you head out, make sure that your FASTag is active and that you have the requisite balance in your account. If your FASTag isn’t working, you can make use of UPI and wallet phone applications to pay your toll without handing over any money.

Navigating through city traffic is often difficult. At the end of a long day, we’re sure you don’t want to spend hours stuck in your car or on your bike in bumper-to-bumper traffic. So, before you step out, make use of applications like Google Maps or Waze to check the traffic situation and the fastest route to your destination. These applications also provide live traffic updates, so if there’s an accident up ahead, they’ll let you know. If required, these apps will even help you find a new route to your destination, so you don’t have to stop your car to ask others for directions, keeping your contact with others to an absolute minimum. While you’re getting your phone ready for the journey ahead, don’t forget to find yourself a great drive playlist to keep you calm while you drive your car through rush-hour traffic.

As you head back to work, there’s every possibility that you might also have to travel within India for meetings or even family functions. It’s true that domestic travel hasn’t completely returned to normal, but when it does, there are a few things you can do to stay as safe as possible Firstly, instead of queuing up at counters to purchase long-distance railway tickets, make use of the phone applications and the IRCTC website to book tickets instead. This way you can book tickets from the comfort and safety of your home. If you’re travelling by air, you should ensure you reach the airport a couple of hours in advance so that you have enough time to check-in your luggage and get through security safely, while maintaining all social distancing requirements.

Gearing up for a contactless world seems like an uphill challenge right now. But as long as you remember to wear a mask while out in public, use a few helpful apps and keep your use of currency down to a minimum, you can greatly reduce close contact with others. Of course, whenever you do use your phone to display your documents or make payments, don’t forget to clean and sanitize it. Finally, if you generally travel on a two-wheeler, make sure you sanitize your hands and your bike seat as often as possible to stay as safe as possible. Like we already said, it’s always better to be safe than sorry!