The Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal has allowed local trains to resume operations at 50 percent seating capacity on Sunday, October 31. However, the state is seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases after the festival of Durga Puja ended.
West Bengal has recorded approximately 990 new COVID-19 cases and nine deaths in the last 24 hours. Earlier this week, the Central government asked the West Bengal government to take note of the rising cases of COVID-19 in Kolkata and take measures to contain the spread of the virus following Durga Puja celebrations.
Last week, in an administrative meeting the West Bengal CM also announced that schools and colleges will reopen from November 15 and ordered the Chief Secretary to make sure that schools and their campuses are sanistised. Detailed guidelines and SOPs will be released soon.
Keep in mind, amid the rising cases of the AY.4.2 variant of coronavirus, the government has decided to extend COVID-19 restrictions in the state till November 30, 2021. All outdoor activities will remain prohibited between 11 pm to 5 am. Schools for classes 9-12 will reopen from November 16. Night curfew hours will be relaxed for Kali Puja/Diwali - November 2-5, Chhat Puja - November 10-11.
