2G mobile internet services restored in Kashmir, access to remain limited
Access is limited only to white-listed websites and for a week till January 31
After remaining shut for more than five months, 2G mobile internet services on post-paid as well as pre-paid cell phone services were restored in the Kashmir Valley on Saturday, said an official order issued by the home department.
However, access is limited only to white-listed websites and only for a week till January 31 .
“Mobile data services and internet access through fixed line shall be allowed across the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir with some restrictions. Access shall be limited only to the whitelisted sites and not to any social media applications allowing peer to peer communication and virtual private network applicaitions,” according to an order issued by principal secretary, home department, Shaleen Kabra.
“Data services shall be available on post-paid mobiles and on pre-paid SIM cards of such holders whose credentials have been verified as the norms applicable for post-paid connections and the internet speed shall be restricted to 2G only,” said the order.
The suspension of mobile internet services has been the longest ever in the country.
The decision has come as a major relief for to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who had been facing communication lockdown since August 5 last year when Article 370 was scrapped and the state was bifurcated into two union territories.
“We have been facing hardships for a long time after internet and mobile connectivity was snapped on August 5 last year. We hope the situation will improve further and there will be full restoration of 4G mobile internet services,” said Ghulam Ahmed, a resident of Srinagar.
“The directions shall be effective from January 25 and remain in force till January 31 unless modified earlier,” said Kabra.
Earlier on January 15, 2G services were reinstated in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, and Udhampur for white-listed sites.
As part of the clampdown in August, many political leaders in Kashmir were kept under house arrest. Three former chief ministers Dr Farooq Abdullah, who is also the Srinagar MP, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are still under detention.
