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Mamata announces slew of lockdown relaxations

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Press Trust of India Kolkata
Last Updated : May 18 2020 | 8:53 PM IST

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a slew of lockdown relaxations and said her government would not impose night curfew in West Bengal as proposed by the Centre.

Extending the coronavirus lockdown till May 31, Banerjee said street vendors, salon and parlour owners would be allowed to reopen the shops from May 27.

Apart from 105 trains that the state has already requisitioned, the chief minister said her government would request the Railways for 120 more Shramik Special trains in the next few days to bring back migrant workers.

"The lockdown will continue till May 31. We will not 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, the police would take action," she said.

There would be a few more relaxations, Banerjee said.

"The home secretary, municipality secretaries and police will come up with a plan before May 27 regarding reopening of hawkers' markets on the odd-even basis," she said. "Social distancing, masks, gloves are compulsory and all the markets will be sanitized."
On public transport service, she said: "Inter-district bus services will start on May 21 (Thursday). Autorickshaws can also resume operations from May 27, but with no more than two passengers."

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First Published: May 18 2020 | 8:53 PM IST

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