Kolkata: The West Bengal government last week extended Covid-19 restrictions till November 30 with additional relaxations, one of them being permission for local trains to operate at 50 per cent seating capacity - almost six months after services were stopped to check the spread of the disease.
The administration also allowed movement of people and vehicles between 11 pm to 5 am from November 2 to 5 for Kali Puja festivities, an official order said. It granted similar relaxations for Chhat Puja on November 10 and 11.
According to the order, cinema halls, theatre halls, auditoriums, shopping malls, markets, spa, gyms will be allowed to function at 70 per cent capacity from October 31, but not beyond 11 pm.
"Inter-state local train movement may operate with 50 per cent of seating capacity. All government offices related to non-emergency and non-essential services shall now function with 50 per cent of their total strength (sic)," the order said.
Schools for Classes 9 to 12, colleges and universities will open from November 16, following standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government, it maintained.
430 booked for not wearing masks
The Police have stepped up vigil related to Covid-19 protocols across Kolkata city, especially to check whether people are wearing face masks. Police personnel have also been distributing masks and alerting people to maintain Covid protocols. A total of 430 people have been booked and prosecuted for not using face mask in last 24 hours, police said. As many as 68 people have been booked and prosecuted for spitting in a public place. “Mask is compulsory, each one of us should wear mask. Because of the carelessness of a few, everyone cannot suffer. Once we are fully vaccinated we will be safe,” said Firhad Hakim, chairman of the KMC board of administrators.
