Covid lockdown: Bengal announces some relaxations from July 1

Buses to run with 50 per cent capacity; gyms, saloons allowed to open

Mamata Banerjee: File picture

TT  Bureau   |   Calcutta   |   28.06.21 : Buses, run by both state and private operators, will be back on the streets from July 1, while gyms and salons will be allowed to open as the Bengal government decided to introduce further relaxations to lockdown curbs imposed nearly two months ago amid the second wave of the pandemic.

Partial restrictions will, however, remain in effect till July 15, barely six days short of the Trinamul’s annual July 21 rally. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who announced the relaxations on Monday, said that a decision on the rally will be taken later.  

The state government has decided to allow 50 per cent of the bus fleet to be on the road from July 1. These will be allowed to run with 50 per cent capacity.  But train services will continue to remain suspended. In the last seven days, there were violent demonstrations in localities around Calcutta with the local residents demanding resumption of train services.

While the state government had earlier allowed private offices to open for a specific number of hours, unavailability of public transport had led to resentment among people as relaxations in several sectors appeared to have been made keeping the affluent in mind _ like allowing those with private cars to go to vaccination centres.

The government has also allowed salons, parlours and gyms to open with 50 per cent staff  with the condition that both the staff and customers would have to be vaccinated. It is not clear whether those who haven’t received vaccines yet will be allowed to visit parlours or gyms. So far, there has been no restriction on people visiting malls where high-end salons and parlours are located.

For vegetables, fruit, fish and meat sellers, the state government has decided to keep  markets open for six hours from 6am to noon.

Restrictions on movement of people after 9pm will remain into effect. While there was no fresh directive issued for private taxi and autorickshaw operators, in most part of Calcutta, three-wheelers have been operating without any check.