Bengal to close schools from Monday amid Covid surge; Attendance at offices will be capped at 50 per cent

State government has also decided to reduce the number of flights from Mumbai and Delhi from January 5 onwards

Essential services will be permitted from 10 pm to 5 am: File picture

TT Bureau   |   Calcutta   |  02.01.22 : The rise of Covid cases after Christmas and New Year revelry forced the Bengal government to impose restrictions across sectors from Monday till January 15.

From Monday all schools, colleges, universities, swimming pools, spas, gyms, beauty parlours, saloon, wellness centres, zoos, amusement parks and tourist complexes will remain shut.

No private transport will be allowed from 10 pm to 5 am, while local trains would be allowed to run till 7pm only with 50 per cent sitting capacity.

Likewise, the Metro services will be available till the usual hours but with only 50 per cent of the passenger capacity.

Only 50 per cent attendance will be allowed in government offices, corporations and private sectors.

Shopping malls and market-management bodies have been instructed to ensure that customers with masks are allowed inside. Shopping malls, restaurants and bars will remain open till 10 pm and will be allowed to operate with only 50 per cent of its total capacity.

In Calcutta, 11 mini-containment zones will be set up from Monday, where more than five Covid cases have been identified.

The Bengal government has also decided to reduce the number of flights from Mumbai and Delhi from January 5 onwards, while all flights from United Kingdom will remain suspended.

“Flights from Delhi and Mumbai will be allowed only on Mondays and Fridays from January 5,” he said.

Ten per cent of all flight passengers will be selected for mandatory RTPCR test on arrival at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, while other passengers will have to take the rapid antigen test.

While flights from UK will remain suspended as it was in the list of risk countries, Dwivedi clarified there was no ban on passengers from the British Isle coming to Calcutta on flights from other countries.

Chief secretary HK Dwivedi said on Sunday, the state was adequately prepared to meet the situation.

“We have adequate beds, oxygen and other infrastructure are in place. We have reviewed the situation and taken steps,” he said. “Bed occupancy is only 1.5 per cent, so there is no reason to panic. Those with mild symptoms we will request them to get quarantined at home.”

Till 6pm on January 1, the state had 4, 512 new Covid cases, which till Saturday was 3,451.

In the last 48-hours those detected with Covid are state power minister Aroop Biswas, filmmaker Srijit Mukherjee, more than 50 police officers including two IPS officers at the city police headquarters, Lalbazar.  

“I have tested positive for Covid and am isolating myself. For everyone who has come in contact with me in the last 72 hours, please test yourself,” Mukherjee tweeted on Saturday night.

While the fate of the Kolkata International Film Festival, Gangasagar Mela and the Calcutta Book Fair scheduled for later this month are uncertain, the government’s flagship programme Duare Sarkar has been pushed to February 1.