The citizens of Kolkata, following a breather from chief minister Mamata Banerjee to ease out woes of lockdown, will now be able to get taxi services till their doorstep during emergency situations and for carrying essential commodities like groceries.

During a meeting held at Nabanna yesterday, the chief minister had directed the enforcement task force, led by the home secretary, Alapan Bandyopadhyay to keep two or three taxis at designated taxi stands in the city. Following the chief minister’s instructions, a meeting between the officials of the state transport department was held today, sources said.

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A decision, as informed by sources, has been taken to keep five taxis at Kolkata’s major traffic points including Esplanade, Sealdah, Gariahat and Beleghata Connector. For this purpose, white and blue taxis are being preferred. The taxi drivers, performing duties during the ongoing lockdown will be provided with masks and sanitizers.

This apart, the taxi union under Bengal Taxi Association will be providing services to the citizens for emergency situations and to ferry passengers carrying essential commodities like groceries during the lockdown. “Anyone requiring to commute for some essential needs will be given services,” said Bimal Kumar Guha, general secretary of Bengal Taxi Association.

“However, the requisition will be taken strictly for urgent needs. The taxis will be kept on standby from our organisation for the services. The vehicles from the organisation plying for the special purpose will have a sticker on them mentioning the emergency duty.

The commuters will be able to avail the services by calling us on 9339053605 and or 9831364824. We are already providing such services to the people in dire need. We will further extend our services for the citizens during the ongoing critical situation,” added the general secretary of the city’s taxi union.

I-PAC provides meals to more than 6.5l people:

Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) under ‘Sabki Rasoi’ initiative has provided meals to more than 6.5 lakh needy people in and around twenty six cities including Kolkata. On Thursday, I-PAC has provided food to 1,44,562 people in 26 cities. Thirty distribution points have been made active in Kolkata by IPAC in West Bengal.

7900 needy people have been given fresh meals in Kolkata on Thursday. The dedicated areas where I-PAC under ‘Sabki Rasoi’ is distributing cooked meals are in Tantra, Topsia, Beliaghata, areas of East Kolkata, Raja Dinendra Street in North Kolkata, Salt Lake, Dum Dum, Khardah, Jessore Road, S K Deb Road, M G Road, Gobra Road, Beck Bagan area, Park Circus Areas, Baruipur, Sonarpur, Jadavpur, Ballygunge and Howrah.

I-PAC has thanked to all their 65 kitchens and 105 grassroot feeding partners for helping them to serve more than six lakh meals in last five days across twenty six cities in the country including Kolkata. According to a spokesman, I-PAC is looking forward to continue with their efforts to serve at least 15 lakh meals by 15th April.

I-PAC in a press release has reported on behalf of the State Government has published that so far the State Government has distributed 1,78,550 N95 masks, around 2,48,100 PPEs, 11,09,550 other masks, 5,19,000 hand gloves and 44,257 litres sanitizers.

Bank branch shut:

The Bhawanipore branch of UCO bank had to be shut down following reports of a mother of a bank officer of that branch was undergoing treatment at a city hospital after tested nCoV positive became public. According to police sorces at Lalbazar, the Lala Lajpat Rai Sarani branch of the nationalised UCO Bank at Bhawanipore had been sealed on Thursday night after the reports of an officer’s mother was undergoing treatment following tested positive for novel corpnavirus came out in the open.

The news spread like wildfire and sent the employees of the bank into a tizzy. A bank employee said on condition of anonymity that they immediately contacted state health department and police at Bhawanipore Police Station and following recommendation of the state health department and the police, the branch had been shut down.

Meanwhile, a source close to state health department said,that the move was already initiated to identify the persons who came in close contact with the officer concerned and who the officer had met with for the last few days. A list had been drawn up and based on the identification, those would be quarantined, said a source of the branch.