Kolkata: Markets take safety steps to fight coronavirus

KOLKATA: With markets emerging as major points of social gatherings even as Covid numbers are on the rise, individual traders are coming forward and shutting down local markets for a few days as a preventive measure. The Kolkata Police, too, has launched several experiments to ensure safety of the traders and buyers across major markets.
The local markets are perhaps the best examples of how traders themselves are unwilling to take chances. Reports of fresh Covid infections have led to Bijoygarh Market staying shut for the past few days. Though there are chances of it reopening early next week, the market association said they would take a decision only through consensus. In Behala, a portion of the local market and shops at Unique Park and Manton were shut after reports of Covid deaths. At the Behala Bakultala Market, a day’s disinfection drive led to it being shut for a day.
The police, meanwhile, introduced changes in parking and imposed entry restrictions at Posta and Koley Market to ensure social distancing. At Koley Market, only 10 buyers are being allowed in at a time after multiple cases were reported from the area. The parking, too, has been streamlined with no mini trucks being allowed to park near the main entrance. At Posta, truck drivers have been asked to park in the special parking zones near Posta flyover while the local three-wheelers and vans have been asked to park elsewhere.
According to an officer, the civic body had asked superintendents of all major municipal markets to ensure that no temporary stalls are allowed on common passages inside markets and the proposal is being worked on. “The virus threat has entered a crucial stage in Kolkata. While we have achieved some success in maintaining basic Covid norms, some private markets are stepping up the efforts to educate buyers,” the officer added.