New Delhi: Over 40 lakh postpaid mobile services have resumed today in Kashmir, after they were shut down following the Narendra Modi-led government's decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir's special status. The postpaid mobile services have been functional from 12 pm on Monday.
The decision to resume the services was taken after reviewing the situation in the valley, Rohit Kansal, Principal Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir said.
"All postpaid mobile services, irrespective of the telecom operator will stand restored and be functional from 12 noon, Monday, October 14, 2019. This will cover all 10 districts of Kashmir province," Rohit Kansal said on Saturday.
Over 20 lakh prepaid mobile phones, and mobile and other internet services will remain deactivated for now.
The valley has nearly 66 lakh mobile subscribers out of which nearly 40 lakh subscribers have post-paid facilities.
Mobile internet and broadband still continue to be blacked out in the Valley since the August decision that saw a magnanimous shift in the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The mobile services in Jammu and Kashmir were shut down on August 5 after the Centre announced in New Delhi the abrogation of the special status guaranteed to the state under Article 370 of the Constitution.
Partial fixed line telephony was resumed in the valley on August 17, and by September 4 all landlines, numbering nearly 50,000, were declared operational.
To prevent any backlash, the centre also imposed massive security restrictions and took measures that included arresting politicians, evacuating tourists, posting extra troops and blocking phone and internet lines.
Some of those curbs have been slowly relaxed, but mobile and internet communications in the Kashmir Valley were largely still blocked which frustrated the local residents to no extent.
In Jammu, the communication system was restored within days of the blockade and even mobile Internet was started around mid-August. However, after its misuse, the Internet facility on cellular phones was snapped on August 18.
Kansal said restrictions on movement have been removed in 99 per cent of the areas in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Since August 16 there has been a gradual removal of the restrictions and by the first week of September most restrictions were removed, barring 8-10 police stations movement restrictions have now been completely removed. Over 99 per cent of the area of Jammu and Kashmir has absolutely no restriction on movement," Kansal said.
