Lockdown in Bengal enters second day

Residents of West Bengal woke up

to empty roads and deserted public places as the five-day lockdown in vast swathes of the state entered the second day on Tuesday.

The lockdown that began at 5 pm on Monday will continue till March 27.

Private vehicles were off the roads while all business establishments, barring those dealing with essential commodities, were shut.

Major railway stations, bus terminals and airports were deserted. Only a few police vehicles and those associated with emergency services were seen on the roads.

Police personnel were seen asking people through public address system to stay indoors.

There were reports of newspapers not being delivered in most parts of the state.

 

A 57-year-old man infected with coronavirus died at a hospital in the city on Monday, the first COVID-19 death in the state. Eight more are infected with the coronavirus.

Most gated colonies and apartments in the state capital were locked while civic workers were seen sanitising parks and bus stands.

Police arrested 255 people in Kolkata on Monday evening for violating the restrictions imposed in the metropolis in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.

According to a state government notification issued on Sunday, Kolkata and several urban agglomerations will be under lockdown from 5 pm on Monday till March 27 in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The lockdown will apply to areas under the jurisdiction of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, all municipal towns in North 24 Parganas district besides Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, West Burdwan, North Dinajpur and Howrah districts.

Siliguri, Darjeeling and Kurseong are also under lockdown.

All shops, commercial establishments, offices, factories and workshops are shut.

Foodgrains, groceries, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, bread, milk, medical services, home delivery, petrol pumps, pharmacies, the IT sector and banks and ATMs, among others, have been exempted from the purview of the lockdown.