West Bengal eases COVID-19 restrictions ahead of festivities, local trains to run with 50% capacity, night curfew relaxed

The West Bengal government has also allowed theatres and malls to open with 70% capacity.

Image used for representational purpose

Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Friday extended COVID-19 restrictions till November 30 with additional relaxations, one of them being permission for local trains to operate at 50 per cent seating capacity from Sunday -- almost six months after services were stopped to check the spread of the disease.

The administration also allowed movement of people and vehicles between 11 pm to 5 am from November 2 to 5 for Kali Puja festivities, an official order here said.

It granted similar relaxations for Chhat Puja on November 10 and 11.

According to the order, cinema halls, theatre halls, auditoriums, shopping malls, markets, spa, gyms will be allowed to function at 70 per cent capacity from October 31, but not beyond 11 pm.

"Inter-state local train movement may operate with 50 per cent of seating capacity. All government offices related to non-emergency and non-essential services shall now function with 50 per cent of their total strength (sic)," the order said.

Schools for Classes 9 to 12, colleges and universities will open from November 16, following standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the government, it maintained.

District administrations, police commissionerates and local authorities have been asked to ensure strict compliance of the state directives on COVID-19, the order added.