West Bengal: Worry over exam, office commute after bandh call – Times of India

Kolkata: With school examinations scheduled on Monday and offices reopening, the 12-hour bandh call by the BJP has prompted a flurry of queries by guardians and office-goers on how to reach schools and offices.
The Bengal government said that government and private establishments, schools and colleges, shops, markets, industrial establishments, transport etc will remain open and function normally. About 4,500 policemen will hit the streets in Kolkata from 5 am to act against disruptors.
State transport minister and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim said, “Life will be normal on Monday. There will be no bandh. None will be allowed to disrupt normalcy. None will be allowed to shut life. It will not be tolerated.”
Bengal chief secretary H K Dwivedi held a virtual meeting on Sunday evening with the DMs, SPs and CPs and other senior officials so that normalcy is not hampered by bandh supporters. Kolkata Police commissioner Vineet Goyal has been asked to see personally that bandh supporters do not create chaos.
Airport director C Pattabhi said as per standard protocol the Bidhannagar police has been requested to deploy additional forces. “There is no change in normal operations,” he said. A senior official said additional deployment is being made at all approach roads to Kolkata airport.
Himadri Ganguly, general secretary, The West Bengal Contract Carriage Owners’ and Operators’ Association, said all their school buses as well as office buses will ply normally. “Unless there is a sudden violent incident, we plan to operate normally. We have received assurances from the state administration in this regard,” said Ganguly.
Arupam Dutta, vice president of Pool Car Owners’ Welfare Association, said all association members will take a decision on a real-time basis. “We usually avoid plying on bandh days given that the security of children and safety of our vehicles are involved. However, since this exam time across schools and students are trying to settle to a school life routine again, we will coordinate with guardians. Since the bandh has been called at such a short notice, we are a bit confused,” said Dutta.
Tapan Banerjee, general secretary, Joint Council of Bus Syndicates, said, “If bus drivers and conductors who have gone to cast votes return by trains in morning, services will be normal.”
DGP Manoj Malviya said across the state, anyone trying to disrupt normal life will be “dealt with strictly as per law”. Cops will also enforce picketing at major crossings of the city.