To avoid crowd, S 24-Parganas markets follow novel code

Kolkata: South 24-Parganas has adopted a novel way to battle COVID-19. The district has resorted to a particular number and a definite time of entry in the markets to control the crowd during the three-week lockdown.

The decision comes two days after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited a marketplace in Kolkata to ensure the implementation of social distancing and drew out circles on the road, demarcating positions at a roughly one-metre distance where customers in queues must wait for their orders.

"The police, civil administration and the market committee are implementing the number and time-based entry system in different markets in South 24-Parganas," said

Dr P Ulaganathan, District Magistrate of South 24-Parganas.

According to sources, a maximum of 70 people can enter markets, including Jibantala and the like following social distancing.

"The market is open from 6 am to 2 pm. In a bid to prevent crowd, circles have been drawn outside the shops for customers to maintain social distancing," said a guard of Park Circus market.

Apart from the markets, local grocery and medicine shops on the roads across the city have also drawn circles for maintaining social distancing.

"On Thursday, I saw the Chief Minister on a news channel drawing circles for customers at a marketplace. The following day, I drew circles at a distance of one metre on the floor of my chicken shop for the customers," said a chicken shop owner at Bright Street.

State Food and Supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick had ensured that ration dealers have agreed to keep their shops open seven days a week till March 31, to avoid queuing of people.