Kolkata: With new Covid cases showing signs of slowing down in the state, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government Monday decided to provide some more relaxations on the restrictions imposed on the state till July 15.
Though the state government is yet to give a nod to regularise the movement of trains and Metros, it has partially opened private and public bus services with 50 per cent passengers.
Addressing a press conference here, Banerjee said, “Though there has been a substantial improvement in the Covid situation in the state in the last one month, there is no place for complacency and we should abide by all the norms like sanitisation and wearing masks, so that we can keep a check on the spread of the disease”.
The state government in a revised order said that the partial lockdown has been extended till July 15. However, apart from opening up the transport system partially, the state has decided to keep the markets open from 6 am to 12 pm, while all retail stores will remain open from 11 am to 8 pm.
Shopping malls will be open from 11 am to 6 pm with 30 per cent gathering, while bars and restaurants will remain open with 50 sitting capacity from 12 pm to 8.
The state government has also allowed the functioning of private and corporate offices from 10 am to 4 pm with 50 per cent of the staff strength. Like before, banks will operate from 10 am to 2 pm.
Though the government has allowed buses to ply, the state has expressed its reservation regarding the movement of trains, allowing only special trains to remain operational. However, it has been decided to increase the number of special trains.
The state government has also allowed parlours, salons and spas to open from 11 am to 6 pm with 50 per cent strength. Staff and customers need to be vaccinated. Similarly, gyms will remain open with 50 per cent strength from 6 am to 10 am and from 4 pm to 8 pm.
All political and social gatherings will remain suspended. A maximum of 50 people will be allowed in marriage ceremonies and 20 in funerals. Meanwhile, the state’s Covid-19 tally mounted to 14,94,949 on Sunday with 1,836 more people testing positive for the virus, the health department said in a bulletin.
A total of 29 fresh fatalities in the past 24 hours pushed the state’s Covid death toll to 17,612, it said. The state now has 21,884 active cases, while 14,55,453 people have recovered from the disease, including 2,022 since Saturday.
