The Mamata Banerjee government has declared a state holiday on Tuesday on the occasion of Rath Yatra while advising government employees to maintain social distancing during the festival.

“The auspicious Rathayatra festival is being celebrated tomorrow, the 23rd June 2020 (Tuesday). This year, under the unprecedented situation arising out of outbreak of COVID-19, it is advisable for the employees to avoid crowd and maintain social distancing while taking part in the festival,” reads a finance department order issued on Monday.

Sources said the state holiday for Rath Yatra was the first in Bengal. Sources in the finance department said as the holiday was not notified under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, only state government offices would remain closed, while all central government offices would function.

A section of state government employees said the holiday on Rath Yatra would give them some relief as they apprehended that there would be less number of buses on the road on Tuesday.

“We are going to offices on rotation as attendance was restricted to 70 per cent. We are facing troubles to reach the office as Metro and local trains are not running. Tomorrow’s holiday would be a relief for us as less number of buses would ply on roads because of the Rath Yatra,” said an agriculture department employee.