Kolkata: Tight security, Covid-safety arrangements in place as lakes and parks reopen today

KOLATA: With both Rabindra and Subhas Sarobar — maintained by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) — to reopen from Monday for three hours in the morning and all the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) parks to reopen both in morning and evening shifts, the authorities will follow the same arrangements as was done when lakes and parks had reopened during the second wave.
Six out of the 12 gates of Rabindra Sarobar will open from Monday, so that each gate has adequate security guards. “The guidelines will remain the same. They should be vaccinated and security guards will be there to check the vaccination status as was done during the second wave. The morning walkers are all very responsible citizens and they very much cooperate with us in matters of maintaining the Covid safety protocols,” said a KMDA official.
The authorities put up notices on the Sarobar gates on Sunday, announcing the reopening from Monday 6am to 9am.
Lake regulars said that they will be following the Covid safety protocols like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. “I am thankful to the government for reopening Rabindra Sarobar for morning walkers. The government has our full cooperation in following Covid precautionary measures inside the premises,” said Arun Kumar Dalmia, a resident of Jodhpur Park.
The KMC authorities have taken preparations before reopening city parks. The civic body’s parks department has employed security guards at entry points of the large parks to make sure that there are no gatherings. “The security guards have been asked to check whether the morning walkers or those who will enter KMC-run parks in the afternoon slot have been vaccinated. The guards have been asked to refuse entry if someone tries to enter without wearing a mask” said a KMC parks department official.