West Bengal extends lockdown till May 31, Mamata announces slew of relaxations

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an extension of lockdown till May 31st with few relaxations. She allowed markets, salons and parlours to reopen from May 27. The inter-district bus service will also start.

Kolkata: Extending the ongoing lockdown till May 31 in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a slew of relaxations and said her government will not impose night curfew in the state as proposed by the Centre.

Banerjee said hawkers, salon and parlour owners will be allowed to reopen the shops from May 27.

She said that apart from 105 trains, which the state has already requisitioned, her government will request the railways for 120 more Shramik Special trains in the next few days to bring back migrant labourers.

We won't officially declare night curfew because people are already under a lot of stress. We don't want to increase their sufferings. But we will request people not to venture out of their homes between 7 pm and 7 am, or else police would take action, she said.

Containment zones will be divided into three zones-- affected zones, buffer zone and clean zone, she said.

The lockdown in West Bengal will continue till May 31. But there would be few more relaxations. Hawkers markets would be allowed to reopen from May 27. The inter-district bus service will also start, she said.

PTI Report