Kolkata & most of Bengal under lockdown from Monday 5 pm: here’s what’s shut and what’s open

The West Bengal government issued a notification to impose “Complete Safety Regulations” in various parts of the state that include entire Kolkata, most parts of North and South 24 Parganas, most district towns and some districts entirely (See list below). No gathering of more than seven persons is allowed either. It will start from Monday 5 pm till March 27.

The following measures have to be adopted:

*No public transport services including taxis and autorickshaws to be allowed (exception will be allowed for transport from hospitals, airports, railway station, bus terminus, and goods transport that carries essential commodities)

*All shops, commercial establishments, offices, factories, workshops, godowns to remain closed

*All those who have returned from foreign countries to remain under strict quarantine, the period as specified by health officials

*People have been advised to remain indoors and come out only for basic necessities and follow social distancing

*The following essential services are to remain operational:

Law and order, court, correctional services

Health services

Police, armed force and paramilitary forces

Fire, civil defence and emergency services

Telecom, internet, IT, ITES and postal services

Banks and ATMs

Food including public distribution system, groceries, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, bread, milk (selling, storage and transportation)

E-commerce of groceries, food items and home delivery for food

Petrol pumps, LPG gas, oil agencies (godowns and transporation)

Medicine shops, optical stores, pharmaceutical (manufacturing and transportation)

Production and manufacturing units that require continuous processing (after clearance from district magistrate)

Print, electronic and social media

Manufacturing units for essential commodities

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The restrictions will apply in the following areas:

*Entire Kolkata Municipal Corporation area

*In South 24 Parganas, it is applicable for Diamond Harbour, Canning, Sonarpur, Baruipur, Bhangar, Budge Budge and Maheshtala.

*For North 24 Parganas, it is applicable for all municipal towns including Lake Town and Salt Lake

*entire districts of Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, Paschim Burdwan, Howrah.

*It is also applicable to district towns of Coochbehar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Siliguri, Dakshin Dinajpur, Purulia, Paschim Midnapore, Jhargram, Purba Midnapore and Hooghly.

*Other areas include: Jaigaon town, all municipal towns of Birbhum, district town of Purba Burdwan, Kalna and Katwa, district town of Paschim Midnapore, Kharagpur and Ghatal towns, district town of Purba Midnapore, Haldia, Kolaghat, Contain, Digha towns, Hooghly district town, Chandanagore, Konnagar, Arambagh, Serampore, Uttarpara.