KOLKATA: The Bengal government has allowed the resumption of suburban train services with 50 per cent seating capacity from October 31, besides extending the Covid restrictions till November 30.
With the relaxation given by the state government, the suburban train services are going to resume after almost five long months on October 31. It remained suspended since May 16 with the onset of the second wave of Covid pandemic.
The state Secretariat, Nabanna, has given other sets of relaxations as well while issuing an order on Friday, further extending the restrictions. It includes relaxations on "night restrictions" during Kali Puja, Diwali and Chhath Puja. There will be no restrictions on "movement of people and vehicles between 11 pm and 5 am" from November 2 to 5 (Kali Puja and Diwali) and November 10 and 11 (for Chhath Puja).
Restrictions on outdoor activities, apart from essential and emergency services, will remain imposed from 11 pm to 5 am on other days of the month. As announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, schools for classes IX to XII colleges and universities will open from November 16 following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the School Education and Higher Education departments.
All government officers, even those related to "non-emergency and non-essential services" would operate with 50 per cent of the total strength while the government offices related to essential services will function with 100 per cent manpower as usual. Cinema halls, theatres, 'sadans', 'manchas', auditoriums, stadiums, shopping malls, market complexes, restaurants, spa and gym can operate with 70 per cent of the total capacity till 11 pm. Coaching centres for competitive examinations can also function with 70 per cent of its capacity at a time.
Again, restaurants and bars can also operate with 70 per cent of its capacity, instead of 50 per cent, till 11 pm.
Relaxations have also been given to organise indoor social gatherings, including marriage ceremonies, shooting for films and TV programmes and audio recording activities with 70 per cent of the capacity of the venue. Earlier, only "maximum 50 persons" were allowed to attend a marriage ceremony. Outdoor shooting for films and TV programmes will be allowed, maintaining physical distancing and Covid protocols.
The suburban train services were suspended in the month of May as the second wave of Covid pandemic had hit the state. Only Staff Special trains were operating to help people involved in emergency services reach their destinations.
In the pre-Covid period, around 1,100 sub-urban trains used to ply in Howrah and Sealdah Divisions under the Eastern Railway (ER) while the number was around 146 in South Eastern Railway (SER).
At present, around 300 and 600 Staff Special trains are operating in Howrah and Sealdah Divisions respectively.
The Eastern Railway will run 922 and 488 trains in Sealdah and Howrah Divisions respectively while the South Eastern Railway will operate 48 trains initially from October 31. The number of trains will be increased gradually.
"We welcome the decision of the state government and would urge people not to flout Covid norms. We would urge them to help us run trains with 50 per cent seating capacity," said a senior officer of the Railways.
Usually, around 1,200 people can travel in a 12-coach suburban train, as per its seating capacity. With the state government allowing the resumption of suburban train services with 50 per cent capacity, the railway officials are now chalking out plans to implement the same.
There had been agitations at different stations demanding resumption of train services. The state government had then assured that it would allow resumption of suburban train services once the Covid situation came under control. At present, around 900 to 980 people are getting infected on an average every day. As many as 982 new Covid cases and eight deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours.
The suburban train services were suspended even during the first wave of Covid pandemic and it resumed in the second week of November 2020. But it had to be suspended again due to the second wave.