Politics

Mobile networks restored across Kashmir valley , internet services to be activated soon

Post Paid Mobile phone services restored across all networks in Kashmir valley

October 15, 2019

Kashmiris’ looking forward to a bright future and peaceful tourist season, not talking about the abrogation of Article 370

On Monday when the state administration in Jammu and Kashmir restored mobile calling facilities of around 40 lakh postpaid mobile phone subscribers across 10 districts of Kashmir valley, after a gap of 71 days, very few among them were found talking about the issue of abrogation of Article 370 by the Union government or losing statehood.

Majority of Kashmiri’s were upbeat and looked cheerful holding ‘buzzing’ mobile phones in their hands.

They celebrated the day talking to each other and discussing their future plans.

Those, not having the landline facility, were seen struggling to connect to their loved ones in haste as they wanted to listen to their voices and ask about the well being of their family friends and close relatives.

There were worries on their mind too but they were determined to ‘quickly’ make up for the lost period.

Despite complete shut down across different market places, hectic activity was witnessed on the streets of Srinagar. Small groups of students, businessmen, hoteliers, tour and travel operators were seen discussing the prevailing situation and chalking out their future course of action.

Asserting that mobile phone services were restored now, he said people can go about their normal lives and claimed that tourists had begun arriving in the Valley.

Routine business activity and normal functioning of educational institutions are expected to resume in the coming days.

Since children across Kashmir valley have already missed their classes and facing difficulties ahead of competitive exams, the majority of Kashmiris were keen on bringing back their academic calendar back on track.

Of all the citizens, businessmen, travel and tour operators, students and parents heaved a sigh of relief as they bore the maximum brunt of communication lockdown enforced in the state since August 5.

During the period, the tourism industry suffered huge losses as tourists vanished and almost all the world-famous tourist places in Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar wore a deserted look. The hoteliers sacked their staff members after failing to repay their salaries. Houseboat owners, taxi operators were struggling to make both their ends meet as tourist arrivals were not picking up despite sustained campaign in the media by the state administration.

With the restoration of mobile phone services and lifting of the travel advisory, preventing tourists to visit Kashmir valley, the tourism industry is gearing up to welcome the fresh arrivals of tourists in the coming days.

Already a handful of Indian and foreign tourists are reaching Kashmir valley to enjoy the picturesque beauty of Kashmir.

The security personnel, part of the counter-insurgency grid in the state, are looking forward to a ‘hot‘ winters as they are anticipating the fresh flow of information about the whereabouts of ‘hiding‘ terrorists in South Kashmir areas. Due to communication lock down the security forces were not receiving real-time information about the whereabouts of terrorists in their hideouts. It is, for this reason, the total number of militant related operations had come down after August 5.

Local businessmen, who suffered the most on account of the continuous shutdown is also looking forward to resuming normal business activity in the coming days. Already, they were opening their business establishments for a few hours in the morning and later in the evening but during day time, peak business hours, they were observing complete shutdown.

Life of a Kashmiri was important and not telephone: J&K Governor

Governor Satya Pal Malik defended the communication blockade in the Valley saying the safety of Kashmiris was more important than mobile services which the terrorists use for their activities and mobilisation.

“People used to make noise that there is no telephone. We stopped telephone services because terrorists were using them for their activities, mobilisation and indoctrination,” Malik said at a police function here.

“For us, the life of a Kashmiri was important and not telephone. People were living without telephones earlier also,” he added.

Asserting that mobile phone services were restored now, he said people can go about their normal lives and claimed that tourists had begun arriving in the Valley.

He also ensured that internet services will soon be restored.

“Young boys and girls were having difficulties earlier but now they can speak to each other. Now, there are no issues. Very soon, we will restore internet services,” he remarked.

The Governor said that the situation in Kashmir was normal and there had been no violence in the last more than two months.

He said in the last two months, “not a single bullet” was fired in the Valley and no protests had taken placed as he credited the security forces for their strict vigil.

“The prime minister (Narendra Modi) had congratulated me for this. I said that I am not worthy of the praise and you should thank the Kashmiri people and the police forces for taking steps to ensure that law and order are maintained,” Malik said.

He termed the J&K Police as one of the best police force in the country and promised to increase the compensation amount offered to them.

Note:
1. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.