Updated July 1st, 2021 at 15:28 IST
'Initiate process to resume metro, train services in WB': Swapan Dasgupta to Piyush Goyal
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta wrote to Railway Minister and requested him to discuss the resumption of trains in the state of West Bengal
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On Thursday, July 1, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta in a letter to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal requested him to urge the authorities of Eastern and south-Eastern Railways and Metro Railways to urge West Bengal government to resume local rail and metro services. In a recent announcement, the West Bengal government has extended the COVID-19 related restrictions to July 15 with some relaxations to be in effect from July 1.
The terms of the lockdown in W Bengal are whimsical. Buses are allowed but local trains & Kolkata Metro are not. Commuters are facing enormous hardship & loss of livelihood. I have today requested the Rail Minister to initiate the process of resumption of services. pic.twitter.com/5jQ6LOrb1L
— Swapan Dasgupta (@swapan55) July 1, 2021
The BJP leader in his letter to the union railway minister had quoted the difficulties faced by the people due to overcrowding in buses and other public transport. He has further mentioned that with the right COVID-19 precaution protocol in place, the trains must be allowed to run.
Swapan Dasgupta appeals to Amit Shah
Earlier, Swapan Dasgupta had appealed to Amit Shah to rush security and restore the law-and-order situation in West Bengal in line with the state's post-poll violence case. He had said, "More than a thousand families have rushed to the fields to escape the marauding mobs seeking to take it out against BJP supporters".
West Bengal's new COVID-19 restriction relaxation
As per West Bengals' new COVID-19 guidelines, public buses are permitted to operate with a 50 per cent seating capacity. Gyms and salons can also function pertaining to certain conditions including 50 per cent seating only.
The movement of people and vehicles and all other outdoor activities are not allowed between 9 pm to 5 am, except in emergency cases. For the public all intra-state local trains, metro rail is closed. Only for the movement of emergency and personnel involved in essential services, special trains are available.
Spas, swimming pools, and cinema theatres continue to be shut down.
The marriage ceremony and funeral rituals can be held with a maximum of 50 people and 20 people respectively.
COVID situation in West Bengal
As coronavirus cases continues to drop across the country, to date, West Bengal has reported a total of 15 lakh COVID cases with 14.6 lakh recoveries and 17,708 deaths.
The state has administered a total of 2,19,41,500 COVID vaccine doses across 1,049 vaccination sites.
(Image credit: PTI)
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Published July 1st, 2021 at 15:28 IST
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