Kolkata: West Bengal will go under a complete lockdown from Sunday till May 30, the state government announced, as it put in place a host of stringent measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, including prohibiting vehicular movement and disallowing all kinds of gathering.
Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said the lockdown will take effect from 6 am on Sunday till 6 pm of May 30.
“Additional restriction measures to cut down mobility of people and limiting human contact through assembly and congregation is essential to cut the transmission chain of the virus and to contain the pandemic,” he said.
During this period, all government and private offices, shopping complexes, malls, bars, sports complexes, pubs, cinema halls and beauty parlours will remain closed other than those relating to emergency and essential services, including healthcare, law and order, courts, power, drinking water and media.
Movement of private vehicles, taxis and autorickshaws will be prohibited except to and from hospitals, diagnostic and vaccination centres, airports and media houses, the top government official said.
“All intra-state local trains, bus services, metro railway and inland water transport shall remain closed for the 15-day lockdown period, barring movement of emergency and essential services personnel,” he said.
Intra-state movement of trucks and goods carriers shall also be prohibited except relating to medical supplies, oxygen and essential food commodities.
Bandyopadhyay said petrol pumps, auto repair shops, LPG gas offices and distribution centres will remain open, while banks will operate from 10 am-2 pm.
