West Bengal: Schools, Colleges Closed From Monday. Offices To Operate At 50% Capacity | Key Points

The restrictions come as West Bengal on Saturday reported 4,512 fresh infections. Two people tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Representative Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The West Bengal Government on Sunday announced additional restrictions in view of the surge in COVID cases along with Omicron infections in the state.

“After a review of the current situation of COVID-19 pandemic and the concerns due to high rate of infectivity and multiple cases of a new COVID-19 variant “Omicron”, State Executive Committee of West Bengal State Disaster Management Authority recommended to review the current restrictions and relaxations,” the official statement read.

The restrictions will come into effect from Monday and will remain in force up to January 15. Here are the curbs announced:

• All academic activities in schools, colleges, and universities shall remain closed. Only administrative activities shall be permitted with 50% of employees at a time.
   
• All government offices including public undertakings shall function with 50% of employees at a time. Work from home shall be encouraged as far as possible.
   
• All private offices and establishments shall function with 50% of employees at a time. Work from home shall be encouraged as far as possible. 
  
  
• Swimming pools, spas, gyms, beauty parlors, saloons and wellness centers shall remain closed.
  
  
• All entertainment parks, zoos, tourist places shall remain closed. 
  
  
• Shopping malls and market complexes may function with restricted entry of people by not exceeding 50% of the capacity at a time and up to 10 PM. 
  
  
• Restaurants and bars may operate with 50% of capacity at a time and up to 10 PM.
  
  
• Cinema halls and theatre halls may operate with 50% of seating capacity at a time and up to 10 PM.
  
  
• Meetings and conferences shall be allowed with a maximum of 200 people at a time or 50% seating capacity of the hall, whichever is lower. 
  
  
• Not more than 50 persons at a time shall be allowed for any social, religious and cultural gatherings.
  
  
• Not more than 50 persons shall be allowed for marriage related ceremonies. 
  
  
• Not more than 20 persons shall be allowed for funeral/burial services and last rites.
  
  
• Local trains shall operate with 50% seating capacity up to 7 PM only.
  
  
• Metro services shall operate with 50% seating capacity as per usual operational time.
  
  
• Movement of people and vehicles and public gatherings of any kind shall be prohibited between 10 PM to 5 AM. Only essential and emergency services shall be permitted.

Additionally, Bengal will operate flights from Delhi and Mumbai only twice a week which will be on Monday and Friday w.e.f January 5, state Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi informed, as reported by ANI.

“Employers/management bodies/owners/supervisors of all offices, establishments, and workplaces shall be responsible for provisioning of all COVID safety measures including regular sanitization of workplaces, vaccination of employees, and for compliance of stated directives and COVID appropriate norms,” the West Bengal government stated.

Meanwhile, home delivery of food and other essential products has been allowed “as per usual operational hours following proper COVID appropriate care and protocols”.

The state government’s Duare Sarkar camps have been postponed in view of the COVID situation and will be organised again from February 1, the statement informed.

COVID Cases In West Bengal

The restrictions come as West Bengal, which is witnessing a sudden spurt in COVID-19 cases for the last few days, on Saturday reported 4,512 fresh infections, 1,061 more than the previous day, with Kolkata accounting for 2,398 fresh cases.

Nine more patients succumbed to COVID on Saturday.
 
Notably, two more people tested positive for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in West Bengal on Saturday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 16.

The state has 13,300 active cases, while 16,09,924 people have recovered from the disease to date, the health bulletin informed on Saturday.

(With Agency Inputs)