West Bengal on Thursday said that there would be no lockdown on Saturday, September 12, because of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) exams being held on Sunday, September 13.
The Mamata Banerjee government had announced lockdown for three days in September to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the state.
Friday, that is today, is a complete lockdown in the state. A complete lockdown was also held on September 7.
West Bengal had also observed lockdown on several days in August.
The Telegraph reported that the state was unlikely to announce new lockdown dates for now, with Friday being the last day of such a lockdown in light of the upcoming series of festivals in the state in September and October.
A senior official, who was not named, told the newspaper, “Further lockdowns in the latter half of September and October would hit the trading community badly during the festival season.”
Special metro service on September 13
The state announced that special metro services will be run in Kolkata on September 13 for NEET examinees. Metro services will resume for all from Monday, September 14.
PTI reported Metro Railway spokesperson Indrani Banerjee as saying Sunday’s special service will exclusively be for medical entrance examinees and their guardians.
“No token will be issued to commuters and only printed card tickets will be issued to the bonafide students and their guardians,” Banerjee said.
Examinees will need to show their admit cards metro station gates to avail this service.
The PTI report said that a total of 66 trains — 33 each in up and down directions — will be run on September 13 from 11 am to 7 pm from the two terminal stations, Noapara and Kavi Subhash.
A metro train will be available every 15 minutes during this time, the report said.
Regular services of Kolkata metro to resume from Monday
It was announced on Thursday that the Kolkata metro will run 110 trains from Monday onwards, less than half of the usual 288, from Monday onwards.
The services will be shut on Sundays, reports said.
The Kolkata metro will resume services after the lockdown was announced in March. This comes after metro services were resumed in Delhi and Kochi on September 8.
General manager of Kolkata metro was quoted by PTI as saying, “Between Noapara and Kavi Subhash, 55 trains will run in each direction starting from 8 am. The last train will leave the terminal stations on both ends at 7 pm,” he said.
Operations will also recommence on the East-West line from September 14 between Sector V and Salt Lake Stadium stations with 36 services in each direction.
The Telegraph reported that only smart card users can board trains and will have to produce a “QR code-based colour-coded e-pass” to enter a station.
E-passes can be booked on the ‘Pathadisha’ mobile app from Sunday onwards.
The PTI report said that a maximum 400 passengers will be allowed in a train at a time to maintain Covid-related social-distancing norms.
The passengers will have to wear masks covering face and nose, and will have to sanitise their hands from sanitiser dispensers placed at each platform before boarding a train, according to a Metro official.
Passengers will have to get their body temperature checked through thermal screening at the time of entry to a metro station.
The Metro authorities said that passengers having fever, cough or cold should not undertake a journey in its trains.
It said that elders and children should also not travel on the metro.
(With PTI inputs)