Kolkata:
The authorities in West Bengal are exploring the feasibility of installing sanitising gateways and disinfecting walkways to keep SARS-CoV-2, which causes coronavirus disease (Covid-19), at bay, as markets, hospitals and some government offices are still open, despite the ongoing 21-day nationwide lockdown enforced since March 25 to contain the pandemic.
Scientists from a government research institute – the Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) - have built prototypes of two sensor-based disinfecting walkways, which could help people to get sanitised in less than 40 seconds. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has started a pilot project, where sprinklers have been installed at one of the entry points of the century-old Hogg Market, one of the busiest markets in the city.
The Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC) has shown interest in the prototypes developed by the CMERI.
“A person needs to enter the chamber-like walkway and stand inside it. The embedded sensors will detect the person’s presence and trigger a mist of disinfectant. This would kill the virus and disinfect you. It could take any time between 20 and 40 seconds depending on what type of disinfectant one is using,” said Harish Hirani, director, CMERI.
The walkways can be deployed at the entry and exit points of isolation and quarantine facilities, hospitals, metro stations, shopping malls, and offices among other places where social distancing is few and far between and the chances of getting infected are abnormally high.
{{/usCountry}}The walkways can be deployed at the entry and exit points of isolation and quarantine facilities, hospitals, metro stations, shopping malls, and offices among other places where social distancing is few and far between and the chances of getting infected are abnormally high.
{{/usCountry}}The CMERI is India’s apex research and development institute for mechanical engineering under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Two variants developed by the institute have been installed on its campus -- one at the main gate and another at its medical centre.
“We’ve developed two variants. While the Hydraulic Variant Disinfection Walkway is rather simple and less costly, as it uses a pump, the Pneumatic Variant Disinfection Walkway uses a compressor and is costlier. The wastage of disinfectant is, however, less in the latter,” said Ajoy Roy, one of the scientists of the institute.
The Hogg Market’s contraption is basic. “The moment a person passes through the market’s gate, sprinklers spray disinfectant to sanitise the passerby. We’re using diluted hydrogen peroxide as a disinfectant,” said a KMC official.
The KMC is planning to install more such ‘sanitising corridors’ after the lockdown is lifted, as all the markets will open.
“The CMERI scientists had approached us. Our technical experts would visit their campus to get a sense of the two variants installed,” said Dilip Kumar Agasty, mayor, DMC.