Ban on flights from 6 cities to India's Kolkata extended until July 31

The ban on flight arrivals from six Indian cities to the eastern state of West Bengal's Kolkata airport has been extended until July 31, officials said Saturday.

The airport authorities have extended the ban on request of the local government of West Bengal to restrict movement from cities where coronavirus cases are high.

"The restriction on arriving flights to Kolkata Airport from six cities viz Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Nagpur and Ahmedabad has been extended up to 31 July," a statement put out by Kolkata airport on social media said.

The ban was initially imposed on July 6 and was supposed to remain in force until July 19. The decision was part of the local government's stepped-up efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.

India resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25, after the suspension of service for two months following the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

According to the federal health ministry, West Bengal is the ninth-worst affected state in India with recorded 38,011 coronavirus cases including 1049 death.