Despite govt claims of communication restoration; Valley largely remains incommunicado

With the communication blackout in Jammu and Kashmir entering its 17th consecutive day on August 21, people of the Valley are desperate to establish contact with their near and dear ones.

Jammu: With most parts of Jammu and Kashmir still facing a communication blockade after the modification of Article 370 on August 5, the residents of the Valley largely remain incommunicado.

Despite the central government slowly easing movement restrictions in Kashmir's main city Srinagar Kashmiris are still unable to establish contact with their near and dear ones living within or outside the now Union Territory of J&K.

Bilal Ahmed, who was seen waiting outside Srinagar's BSNL office said, "I came here to inquire about the restoration of phone lines. But the government is yet to restore it."

On the government claiming that phone lines have been restored, Ahmed said, "It is all a lie. We have been coming here from the past two to three days, and they (officials) have been seeking money, but are yet to provide us with services. There is no change in the situation from August 5. The officers themselves are clueless."

Echoing his statement, another local resident from Kashmir said, "Restoration of phone lines is necessary to contact those who are living outside Kashmir. Yesterday we were told that landline connection would be restored and people queued up in hundreds outside the BSNL office, but it was actually not working."

"We stood there and after sometime, they chased us away. I came here to get my sim card activated. We need our phone lines to be restored," added the local resident.

The communication blackout in Kashmir entered its 17th consecutive day on August 21.