The Bengal government will reserve two VIP lifts in state secretariat Nabanna, one for the chief minister and the other for a handful of senior bureaucrats, as a precaution after a number of employees posted in the building tested positive for Covid-19 recently.

“While Mamata Banerjee will use one lift, the chief secretary, home secretary and the director-general of police will use the other,” said an official at Nabanna.

In the past one week, about six employees, mainly security personnel posted in the secretariat, had tested positive, said a source. “As lifts are considered a potential source of spreading the virus, the use of VIP lifts has been restricted for the benefit of the state,” the source added.

As the use of two VIP lifts is restricted, a previously general lift is now reserved for the use of other bureaucrats and ministers who either have offices at Nabanna or visit the building on official purposes, said an official.

“It won’t create any problem if a general lift is reserved for senior officers. Offices are being run with 50 per cent staff strength (physically present) to prevent crowding.”

Sources in the PWD said that a second office of the chief minister has been set up in Upanna, the newly inaugurated building near Nabanna.

Along with the chief minister, offices of the chief secretary, home secretary and the secretary to the chief minister have also been set up in the new building. “Offices of the chief minister and other senior officers may be shifted temporarily to Upanna in case of an extreme emergency,” said a source.