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Santhosh Chandran
Doha
An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Does this adage apply to inanimate objects? Maybe not, but trains, buses and movie projectors rendered idle by the COVID-19 pandemic may be dealing with a devil of a different kind — mechanical damage due to inactivity.
To overcome this problem, the Doha Metro runs its trains and theatre operators put up shows at regular intervals even though there is nobody to ride the coaches or watch the movies.
“We cannot keep the machines inactive for many days,” a theatre operator, who doesn’t wish to be named, said.
“A projector needs to be operated at least once in 48 hours. Even though spectators are not allowed, we run a show for more than one hour every other day.”
Mowasalat, Qatar’s state-owned transport service provider, also subjects its fleet of buses to regular maintenance to ensure operational readiness when services resume.
If a vehicle is not used often, the battery could die, tires could deteriorate and engine components may get damaged, a Mowasalat employee said.
“We switch on the engines of the buses at recommended intervals and continue maintenance as per technical advice,” a Karwa official said.
On the other hand, owners of vehicle accessory shops are expecting a surge in demand for batteries and engine components as public transit system resume operations.
Doha
An idle mind is a devil’s workshop. Does this adage apply to inanimate objects? Maybe not, but trains, buses and movie projectors rendered idle by the COVID-19 pandemic may be dealing with a devil of a different kind — mechanical damage due to inactivity.
To overcome this problem, the Doha Metro runs its trains and theatre operators put up shows at regular intervals even though there is nobody to ride the coaches or watch the movies.
“We cannot keep the machines inactive for many days,” a theatre operator, who doesn’t wish to be named, said.
“A projector needs to be operated at least once in 48 hours. Even though spectators are not allowed, we run a show for more than one hour every other day.”
Mowasalat, Qatar’s state-owned transport service provider, also subjects its fleet of buses to regular maintenance to ensure operational readiness when services resume.
If a vehicle is not used often, the battery could die, tires could deteriorate and engine components may get damaged, a Mowasalat employee said.
“We switch on the engines of the buses at recommended intervals and continue maintenance as per technical advice,” a Karwa official said.
On the other hand, owners of vehicle accessory shops are expecting a surge in demand for batteries and engine components as public transit system resume operations.
