The West Bengal government on Saturday announced a lockdown for two weeks across the state starting from Sunday.
All offices and educational institutions will be shut during this period along with transport services, including the Kolkata Metro. Only emergency services will be allowed, according to a notification issued by the state government. West Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay made the announcement today. It will come into effect from 6 AM Sunday, and continue till 6 PM, May 30.
These are some of the key points:
*All schools, colleges and educational institutions to remain closed.
*All government and private institutions to remain closed except those working for emergency and essential services.
*Groceries and shops selling essential items will be open between 7 AM to 10 AM.
*All local trains, buses, Metro Railway to remain closed
*Movement of taxis, autorickshaws and private vehicles also closed except for movement between hospitals and clinics (including those who need to reach clinics and hospitals for vaccination).
*E-commerce and home delivery to be allowed.
*Tea gardens to operate with 50% strength per shift and jute mills to remain open with 30% strength per shift.
*Shopping malls, gyms, cinema halls, markets, restaurants, bars, swimming pools etc to remain closed.
*Sweetmeat shops will be allowed to remain open between 10 AM and 5 PM.
*Jewellery and saree shops to remain open between 12 noon to 3 PM.
*Medicine shops and optical stores to remain open as per regular working hours.
*Banks to remain open between 10 AM and 2 PM.
*No cultural, political, academic, administrative, or religious events and functions will be allowed in the state during the lockdown and no outdoor congregations will be permitted between 9 PM and 5 AM.
West Bengal has reported 20,846 fresh COVID-19 cases and 136 deaths related to COVID-19 over the last 24 hours.
