Bengal govt extends Covid restrictions till July 15

KOLKATA: The Bengal government on Monday extended the Covid restrictions till July 15 after announcing a set of relaxations allowing public buses to operate in the state with a 50 per cent seating capacity.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said: "We are extending the restrictions till July 15 and giving some relaxations to assess its impact when the Covid positivity rate in the state has been brought down to 3.3 per cent, which was 33 per cent during the last phase of the Assembly polls."

Restrictions on all outdoor activities, apart from essential services, from 9 pm to 5 am will continue and no political, social, cultural, academic and entertainment-related congregations will be allowed. Similarly, suburban train and Metro services apart from staff special trains will continue to remain suspended. Banks and financial institutions will remain open only from 10 am to 2 pm. Without naming the BJP, Banerjee slammed the party for violating the Disaster Management Act by gathering in large numbers and entering different establishments. With the set of relaxations given by the state government, inter-district movement of both state-run and private buses, inland waterways services, trams, taxis, cabs and auto-rickshaws will be allowed to ply with passengers not more than 50 per cent of the seating capacity at a time.

Vaccination of drivers and other staff, regular sanitisation of vehicles and wearing of masks is mandatory.

Government offices relating to emergency and essential services will remain open as usual. But the remaining ones will operate with 25 per cent of total manpower. The private offices have been allowed to operate with 50 per cent of the total manpower in each shift with employers ensuring transport arrangements.

Stating that the livelihoods of many people are related to the sector, Banerjee announced the reopening of gymnasiums and beauty parlours. The latter can remain open from 11 am to 6 pm. The timing for gymnasiums will be from 6 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 8 pm. Both can operate with 50 per cent of the total capacity. However, cinema halls, spas and swimming pools will continue to remain shut. Parks will remain open from 6 am to 9 pm for joggers and morning walkers.

Relaxation has also been given to keep bazaars, haats and shops selling vegetables, fruits, groceries, milk, bread, meat, eggs and fish for two more hours. At present, it remains open from 7 am to 11 am. But with the new set of norms, the same can remain open from 6 am to 12 noon. All other shops are permitted to remain open from 11 am to 8 pm while retail shops can operate from 11 am to 8 pm with a 25 per cent workforce and restricted entry of 30 per cent customers of the total capacity at a time. Restaurants and bars, including hotels and shopping malls, may remain open from 11 am to 8 pm with a 50 per cent seating capacity.

The state government has allowed all activities related to music recording studios with a maximum of 10 musicians and their associates at a time to be allowed while film and TV shooting has also been allowed with a maximum of 50 persons per unit at a time.

A maximum of 50 persons is allowed to attend a marriage ceremony while 20 at a time can attend funeral rituals.