Srinagar, Feb 1: Even though BSNL started the re-verification for prepaid subscribers late by almost a week since other telecom operators started the process, the Nigam has failed to make the system convenient. Reasons: There’s only one counter to cater to the entire load of subscribers.
 Counter No 20 at BSNL’s City office on Monday was the only place where the subscribers could get the re-verification forms from.
 It was the second day of BSNL waking to start the re-verification since Saturday last week. But today again, there was no respite for the subscribers as they had to wait in queue for hours together.
  “I had to waste my entire day to get the verification form,” said a subscriber Javed Ahmed adding that it would take another day to submit the form.
 The subscribers said the BSNL like other operators should have kept the forms available at franchisee outlets as well.
 The BSNL officials, including the GMT and the DGM Mobile didn’t respond to phone calls.
 A junior official pleading anonymity said: “There’s a shortage of re-verification forms so we couldn’t make the forms available everywhere.”
 Pertinently, around half a million BSNL subscribers are expected to got for the verification in the Valley since the Home Ministry lifted the ban on the prepaid services but sought re-verification.
 The ban was lifted after nearly two and a half months on January 21 with immediate effect by the Centre. But it put “stringent conditions” on operators for verification of customers. For now the subscribers besides other formalities have to pay Rs 35 for the re-verification.
 The Union Home Ministry had imposed the ban on prepaid mobile phone services on November 1 last year. The Jammu and Kashmir government as well as chief minister Omar Abdullah had been pursuing with the Centre on the issue asking it to work out a solution at the earliest.
 The state government had favoured a policy for the telecom operators for resuming prepaid mobile services in the state which should include stringent action besides financial penalties for firms not complying with verification process. The state had maintained that it did not have any issue over the prepaid ban and wanted the telecom operators to behave in a disciplined manner.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 1 Feb 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 1 Feb 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 2 Feb 2010 00:00:00 IST