Complete lockdown today: Flight and train operations to remain suspended

Kolkata: The last statewide "twice-a-week" complete lockdown of August is going to be imposed on Monday with the police taking all sorts of measures to ensure proper implementation of lockdown norms.

The senior administrative and police officers at the state secretariat already directed all the district authorities to maintain a close vigil so people do not move out of their houses without any valid reasons.

There will be naka-check posts at all the strategic locations mainly at the entry and exit points of the districts. All offices, shops and markets will be remaining closed. Relaxation has been given to medical shops. Police were found miking at different places mainly at the market areas urging people not to unnecessarily come out of their houses on Monday.

Banks, which currently operate five days a week, will remain closed for four consecutive days till Sunday.

Print, electronic media, social media is out of ambit of the lockdown. The in-field job of the agriculture and tea garden, factories and construction work with on-site labour (without any provision of travelling), continuous process industries, industries with in-house

workers and capital and debt market will not get affected due to the lockdown. Petrol pumps will also remain open on these days.

The flight and long distance train service in the state will remain suspended on the consecutive days of the lockdown. Vehicles meant only for essential services and will be allowed to ply.

In the next month, the state government has already announced complete lockdown on September 7, 11 and 12.

The dates were announced before the Centre on Saturday issued notification for unlock 4 stating that states cannot impose any local lockdown outside containment zones without prior consultation with them.

The state's stand in this connection is awaited, though Trinamool Congress MP Dr Shantanu Sen criticised the Centre's move stating it to be a blow on the country's federal structure.