Mamata relaxes night curfew hours, allows Metro services
Kolkata: After extending the lockdown in Bengal till July 31, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a slew of measures on Friday, including relaxation of night curfew, reopening of Metro services and incorporating bus drivers and helpers under the purview of the 'Swasthya Sathi' scheme.
In a bid to ensure better transport arrangements in Kolkata, Banerjee said she was keen on resuming the Metro services from July 1 but only with 100-per cent seat occupancy and no passenger standing.
Banerjee said: "Metro services can be made available from July 1. But people not more than the seating capacity should be allowed to board a train and proper sanitisation of the rakes have to be carried out. There should not be any sort of gathering." Metro services have remained suspended since the lockdown was imposed on March 25.
After the Chief Minister's announcement, the Kolkata Metro authorities have stated that the state government must be writing to the Ministry of Railways in this regard. "We will have a thorough discussion on concerned issues with the state government once we get the clearances from the Centre as our endeavour is to provide Metro service with precautionary measures in place so that COVID-19 does not spread," said Kolkata Metro spokesperson Indrani Banerjee adding that in the past one month all the functioning rakes were rotationally used to bring their employees involved in essential services in at least four trips a day.
Speaking on night curfew, she added: "We have decided that (from July 1) the night curfew hours will be from 10 pm to 5 am."
The Chief Minister also announced financial assistance of Rs 15,000 to each of the 6,000 buses that will operate in the city for the next three months and also decided to bring bus drivers and helpers under the purview of the 'Swasthya Sathi' scheme.
"It is not the time to hike bus fare despite the abnormal increase in fuel prices. So, the state government will be giving financial assistance to help the buses operate at this critical time. It will cost Rs 27 crore to the state's exchequer. Currently, 1600 buses operate in the city and another 500 will ply from July 1," the Chief Minister said after holding a meeting with representatives of bus operators in the presence of state Transport minister Suvendu Adhikari and senior officers.
Speaking on poor health screening at airports, the Chief Minister raised her objection over regular operation of international flights as it is leading to an increase in COVID-19 cases. "We can fly one international flight a month. At the same time, domestic flights and trains from highly infected states should not be sent to Bengal. Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha will write to the Centre in this regard."
In a major move, the Chief Minister announced that the state government has issued directives that Rs 2,250 has to be charged by private health establishments for a swab sample test. Similarly, not more than Rs 1,000 can be charged for the purpose of using PPE kits and a maximum of Rs 1,000 for the doctor's consultation charge from an indoor patient.
She also urged private schools not to hike fees and not to charge for facilities that are not in place when the schools are closed due to the lockdown. But the basic fees need to be given as the school authorities also have to give salary to the teaching and non-teaching staff, she added.
