Ecommerce firm Flipkart on Wednesday has joined hands with app-based ride-hailing cab operator Meru to provide people access to grocery and essential items during the ongoing nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This service will deliver grocery and essential items to Flipkart customers at their doorstep across Bengaluru, Delhi NCR and Hyderabad through the safe and sanitised supply chain.

According to the press statement, Meru is providing its Ozone Sanitized fleet to help Flipkart with their deliveries. The dispatch hubs have been installed with ‘Ozone Air Purifier’, encouraging all driver-partners to sanitize their cabs, thus maintaining high standards of hygiene.

Further, Meru driver-partners will undergo Flipkart’s training module for a better understanding of its processes for safe and timely delivery of the grocery items, while Meru is educating and updating its driver-partners on various preventive measures like using alcohol-based sanitizers and wearing face masks to curb the spread of the virus.

Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group, said, "Flipkart Group is committed to customers as India fights this unprecedented battle. This partnership with Meru is a result of our teams exploring new, innovative ways to drive value for our ecosystem of sellers, brands, partners, and customers to ensure the safe and swift availability of grocery & essential goods. We have a very secure & safe supply chain where we follow SOPs diligently. We stand by the nation in this fight against COVID-19 as we prioritize the well being and safety of all including our customers & employees.”

Speaking on this partnership, Neeraj Gupta, founder and CEO at Meru Mobility Tech said, “This is a unique initiative which we are undertaking with Flipkart which will benefit consumers immensely. Meru will use its fleet to ensure the timely and safe delivery of essentials to Flipkart’s large customer base in a hassle-free manner. This service will also offer our driver-partners an additional earning opportunity during this challenging time.”