West Bengal Near Lockdown Restrictions Extended To June 15

The West Bengal government on Thursday announced the extension of Covid-related restrictions on services and movement till June 15.

Earlier, the restrictions were in effect till May 31 in West Bengal.

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The restrictions announced during the declaration of the near lockdown period on April 30 will continue.

• All offices and educational institutions will be shut, as well transport services, including the Metro.
• Emergency services will be allowed, as will home deliveries and other online services.
• Grocery stores and shops selling essential items will stay open between 7 and 10 am. Shops selling sweets, including traditional Bengali sweetmeats, can open from 10 am to 5 pm.
• Banks are open from 10 am to 2 pm.
• Jewellery and saree shops are open from 12 noon to 3 pm.
• Petrol pumps are open.
• Industries will be closed but tea gardens can function, although at 50 per cent strength only.
• Earlier, the number of workers allowed for the jute industry was 30 per cent. That has been hiked to 40 per cent.
• No cultural, political, academic, administrative or religious events and functions will be allowed during this period. No outdoor congregations will be permitted between 9 pm and 5 am.
• Weddings can have a maximum of 50 guests.
• Shopping complexes, beauty parlours, cinema halls, sports facilities and restaurants are shut indefinitely.

"Please don't call this a lockdown. Covid numbers have come down and for the sake of the economy there will be no total lockdown," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was quoted as saying in an NDTV report.

Active cases of the deadly contagion are over 1.23 lakh in the state currently.

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