Unlock-1: People throng streets in large numbers, traffic snarl in Kolkata

People came out on the streets of Kolkata in large numbers with total disregard to social-distancing norms, while traffic snarl was noticed in many places as the lockdown relaxations come into effect in West Bengal on Monday (June 1).

The news comes a day after the state reported its biggest single-day spike of 371 COVID-19 cases and 8 more deaths.

Many shops across the city that remained closed during the lockdown also reopened during the day. Religious places like the Thantania Kali temple and Lake Kali Bari also reopened, but the Kalighat temple remained closed.

“A decision on reopening will be taken by the shrine committee,” sources said.

Kolkata: Devotees offer prayers from outside as portals of Kalighat Temple remain closed. The West Bengal govt has allowed all religious places to open from today. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/nswj6EJ93h

— ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2020

People either availed of the skeletal public transport or travelled to their workplaces in two-wheelers and cars.

Traffic snarls were noticed on Jessore Road near airport, Esplanade, Howrah Bridge and VIP Road, with people standing in queues waiting for buses and auto. Huge traffic was also noticed on BT Road. Some buses are plying in few routes of the city, and in districts like Howrah and Hooghly. State buses plied in 40 city routes and some inter-district routes.

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Ferry services across the Hooghly river also resumed at one-hour intervals.

The state government had on Saturday extended the lockdown till June 15, but allowed total attendance in micro, small, medium and large industries, including mining activities, from June 1.

The government also allowed construction activities with 100 per cent of the strength of workers from Monday. It has also given nod to indoor and outdoor activities related to TV and cinema production, barring reality show production, from June 1.

As the West Bengal government has allowed 100 per cent deployment of workforce in the jute industry from Monday, there was nearly 60 per cent attendance in the first shift.

Sources said it would fall to 50 per cent in the second shift and further to 30 to 40 per cent in the night shift.

West Bengal: People offer prayers at Church Of Our Lady Of Dolours in Kolkata after state government allowed all religious places to open from today. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/FKlgYWei6G

— ANI (@ANI) June 1, 2020

This is due to a huge chunk of the labourers having gone back to their native places like Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha due to the lockdown, according to sources.

While the state government also allowed 100 per cent deployment of workforce in the tea gardens, it was much higher on Monday than the previous days, sources said.

The Home Ministry had said on Saturday Unlock-1 would be initiated across the country from June 8, in which the nationwide lockdown from March 25 would be relaxed to a great extent, including opening of shopping malls, restaurants and religious places, even as strict restrictions would remain in places till June 30 in the containment zones.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the state on Sunday (May 31) stood at 5,501, while active cases rose to 3,027, the health department said.

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Eight more people succumbed to the disease till Sunday night — seven from Kolkata and one from neighbouring North 24 Parganas — raising the death toll to 245.

During the period, 187 people were discharged from different hospitals, taking the number of recoveries in the state to 2,157.

Earlier, the state government had attributed deaths of 72 coronavirus-afflicted people to comorbidities and had said COVID-19 in those cases was “incidental”.

Of the 371 fresh cases, 72 are from the metropolis, 60 from North 24 Parganas, 47 from Howrah, 43 from Hooghly, 27 from Birbhum, 18 from Nadia, 13 from East Burdwan, 11 from Murshidabad, eight from Bankura, six each from West Burdwan, Purulia and South 24 Parganas, four from East Medinipore, and two from West Medinipore, the health department said in its bulletin on Sunday.

In Kolkata, four residents of staff quarters at Beliaghata ID hospital one of the facilities earmarked for COVID-19 patients were found to have contracted the disease. At least 47 cases were recorded in the northern part of the state — 36 from Coochbehar, nine from Dakshin Dinajpur and two from Malda.

One person diagnosed with the disease was not a resident of Bengal and his whereabouts were being determined, an official said.

“A chunk of those who tested positive are migrant labourers who recently returned to Bengal from other states. These people mostly hail from districts such as Dakshin Dinajpur, Coochbehar, Malda, Murshidabad, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Birbhum and East Burdwan,” the senior official of the department said.

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As many as 9,354 samples were tested for COVID-19 since Saturday evening. The number of samples examined so far has climbed to 2,03,751, it added.

Meanwhile, a pharmacist, who had tested positive for the disease, died at a private hospital in Howrah, a source in the department said.

It is yet to be ascertained whether he died of the disease or due to comorbidity, the source said, adding contact tracing and follow-up action were underway.

(With inputs from agencies)