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Shops to open, public transport to run within state: Mamata

Containment zones have been divided into three different zones, booth-wise and wardwise.

Shops to open, public transport to run within state: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (Photo: IANS)

Extending the lockdown till 31 May, chief minister Mamata Banerjee today announced further relaxations in the restrictions imposed due to Covid-19, allowing shops to open and public transport to operate within the state. Banerjee clarified that while there is no official night curfew in the state, people are requested not to venture out after 7p.m.

Containment zones have been divided into three different zones, booth-wise and wardwise. A zone or Affected zone will not permit any activities, except emergency. In B zone or Buffer zone, selected activities will be permitted, and in C zone or Clean zone, maximum relaxations have been offered for activities.

All big, medium and small shops will open across the state, except in A zone and inter-district buses will start operating from 21 May. Auto rickshaws can start plying from 27 May but with not more than two passengers at a time. Hotels can resume operations maintaining social distancing norms from 21 May.

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However, restaurants will remain shut. Saloons and beauty parlours can also resume operations while maintaining social distancing norms, she said. Hawkers will be allowed to reopen shops in non-containment zones from 27 May. However, the hawkers can only operate on alternate days.

They will have to collect passes from the police and hawker markets have to be sanitised before reopening. Govt and private offices can start operations with only 50 per cent workforce, and work on alternate days, she said. Banerjee said that the state govt will try to arrange 120 more special trains to bring back stranded people from other states.

“Be a little patient. Don’t politicise this issue. I request all States to take care of our people. We want to bring back everyone but cannot bring back everyone in one day,”she said. Meanwhile, a steep rise of 148 new Corona cases and six deaths were witnessed in the last 24 hrs.

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