Srinagar, Nov 13: The decision of TATA Docomo to wind up its operations in J&K from January next has kicked in the teeth of its employees and thousands of subscribers in Kashmir.
 According to sources, TATA Docomo has more than 50,000 subscribers both on mobile phone and internet service in Jammu and Kashmir.
 Sources said apart from a hundred-odd youth working with the company as regular employees, a huge number of commission agents and franchisees will be rendered jobless after the company would stop its services in the state.  
 “I have invested more than Rs 20 lakh in setting up franchisee office and for paying security and other deposits with the company. But now I have been told by the company to close down the office. Who will repay me that amount which I have invested?” said a franchisee owner.
 “We have been informed not to provide any new connections to customers,” said a delegation of Tata franchisee holders.   
 They suggested the state government should persuade the company to “continue its operations in the state and not to leave the investors in lurch.”
 However, experts said the company cannot continue with its operations in the state beyond January next. “Since the company has withdrawn its bid for spectrum for Jammu and Kashmir and two other states, it cannot operate here beyond the given date.”
 Meanwhile, the employees of the company here are worried about their future. “The decision has come as a shock to us. We have worked day in and day out for promoting the company in the state, but now we feel they (TATA) have betrayed us,” said a group of TATA employees.
 “We are now jobless as the company has e-mailed us that we would be asked to relocate, subject to the condition that we qualify the interview,” they said, adding that in short “we are now unemployed despite spending years with company.”
 Sources said the company has also communicated to the franchisees in J&K not to issue any fresh connections. “The services of the company will completely be wound up in January next,” said an official of the company.
 On being asked what will happen to the devices or mobile phones that people have purchased from the company, he said: “They will be rendered useless.”
 Pertinently, according to the sources TATA decided to wind up its cellular operations after the company had withdrawn its bid for spectrum allocation for Jammu and Kashmir.
 “The company had launched its in J&K in 2008. It was required to update its licence by November, 12, 2012, by getting spectrum, which it has failed to do,” sources said, adding that the company will wind up in J&K from January 17, 2013.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST