Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced her government’s decision to relax night-time restrictions by two hours from August 16.

But she added that the stricter restrictions would continue till August 30.

“The night-time restrictions will be in place between 11pm and 5am. Earlier, outside activities were barred between 9pm and 5am. The additional two hours will help shops and other establishments carry out their business properly,” Mamata said at Nabanna.

The state government will allow theatres, swimming pools and sporting arenas to operate at 50 per cent capacity.

The chief minister made it clear that suburban trains would not run till at least August 30 although she conceded that the absence of local trains posed a problem for many.

“Many were asking me why local trains were not being allowed to run.… As vaccination in the rural areas has not been up to the mark owing to a shortage of supplies, I would request all to bear with the pain for a few more days,” Mamata said.

The chief minister said the state would allow local trains to run once 50 per cent of the rural population got vaccinated. She said 75 per cent of the urban population had already been vaccinated with at least one dose.

An official said: “A number of special trains in the suburban areas has been allowed and the state government has requested the railways to allow people working in certain fields to board these trains. This is how we have to manage the situation.”