India restoring phone lines in Kashmir phase by phase

India has started relaxing restrictions in the Kashmir Valley after about two weeks of revoking Article 370 from the Constitution. Phone lines are resuming in phases and schools will start functioning from Monday.

Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam briefed the press Friday saying government offices are functioning normally in the Valley and no loss of life or major injury has been reported since August 5 when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was stripped and the state was bifurcated into two union territories – J&K and Ladakh.

He added, “Keeping in view the evolving situation, as well as the cooperation of people in maintaining calm and peace, we are now taking measures to ease the restrictions in a gradual manner.”

He further continued that twelve districts of 22 are functioning normally in the Valley but there are some limited night-time restrictions in at least 5 districts.

Subrahmanyam said the telecom connectivity is being restored exchange by exchange considering potentiality of terror threats in using mobile phones.

He said over the weekend most of the telecom lines will start functioning. Aboug detentions the chief added that those were preventive in nature to bring law and order in the Valley and avoid breach of peace.

Meanwhile, Muslim people offered their Friday prayers peacefully at neighborhood mosques. The Jamia Masjid at Nowhatta however remained out of bounds.

Jammu and Kashmir government spokesperson Rohit Kansal said additional forces were deployed in Foreshore Road area near Hazratbal in Srinagar following minor stone-pelting by protesters.