Intrastate buses will run with fully vaccinated staff (File)
New Delhi:
West Bengal today announced further easing of COVID restrictions while it extended the ongoing lockdown till July 30 as experts warned of an imminent third wave of the pandemic. The state on June 28 extended the COVID-induced lockdown till July 15 to control the spread of the devastating second wave of the virus.
An official order said that under the new relaxation, metro rail will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity on weekdays. However, local train services will remain suspended except in special trains for government officials and employees.
Public buses, taxis, autorickshaws will be allowed to run at 50% capacity. Intrastate buses have been allowed to operate at 50% capacity with fully immunized staff.
Offices – private and government – will be allowed to function with 50% of their staff.
Gymnasiums and beauty parlors will now be able to function with 50 percent capacity from 11 am to 6 pm. The vegetable market can remain open from 6 am to 12 noon.
Banks will be allowed to remain open from 10 am to 3 pm.
On Tuesday, 863 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Bengal in 24 hours with 17 deaths. The state has so far registered 15,13,877 Covid cases with 17,944 deaths. According to official data, the positivity rate stood at 1.84 per cent on Tuesday.
(with inputs from PTI)
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