The West Bengal government on Sunday announced to re-impose stricter Covid-related restrictions due to the surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the state. At a press conference, Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi said the new restrictions will come into effect from January 3 and will be in place till January 15.
He said rapid antigen testing is compulsory for travellers from countries that are not in the ‘non-risk’ category, while 10 per cent travellers from non-risk countries will also undergo random RT-PCR testing. Flights from Mumbai and New Delhi will ply only twice a week temporarily on Monday and Friday with effect from January 5, and no flights from the UK will be allowed for the time being, Dwivedi said.
Here’s what will be allowed:
• Only essential services will be permitted between 10 pm and 5 am in the state.
• Local trains will be allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity till 7 pm.
• All shopping malls and markets would be allowed to remain open till 10 pm but with half their capacities.
• Long-distance trains will operate as per their usual schedule.
• Metro trains in Kolkata will operate as per their usual timings but with 50 per cent capacity.
• Both government and private offices can operate with 50 per cent workforce.
• Cinema halls and theatres have been allowed to operate with 50 per cent capacity.
• Meetings and conferences have been allowed with a maximum of 200 people at a time or 50 per cent capacity of the hall, whichever is lower.
• Bars and restaurants were allowed to remain open with 50 per cent capacity till 10 pm, while home delivery of food and other essential products was permitted as per usual operational hours.
Here’s what will be closed:
• All schools, colleges, and universities will be closed. Only administrative activities shall be permitted with 50 per cent of employees at a time.
• All flights from the United Kingdom will be temporarily suspended.
• All ‘Duare Sarkar’ camps are also postponed and will be organised again from February 1.
• Swimming pools, spas, gyms, beauty parlours, salons and wellness centres will remain closed.
• All entertainment parks, zoos, tourist places shall remain closed.
• Not more than 50 persons shall be allowed in weddings, and only 20 persons will be allowed during funeral and burial services.
West Bengal on Saturday reported 4,512 new Covid-19 cases, 1,061 more than the previous day, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 new cases, as per the state health department.
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