A day after the administration revoked 7-month-long ban on social media websites in Kashmir, Central Government-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) restored broadband services to its 20,000 fixed-line subscribers on Thursday.
With this, people in the Valley have once again got back webaccess on both mobile and fixed-line internet for first time since August 5,2019, when authorities imposed a total communication lockdown. However, whilespeed of internet on mobile phones remains throttled at low-speed 2G, as perPublic Relations Officer of BSNL, Masood Bala, broadband services “have becomeoperational with speed.”
“BSNL, the state-run telecom pioneer has resumed thebroadband services from today which remained suspended for 7 months,” said astatement issued by BSNL.
Bala said the monthly rentals for broadband service havealready been waived off from August, 2019 till the time it was not functional.
Restoration of broadband service has been welcomed bysubscribers from different walks of life.
People from various sectors with whom Greater Kashmir spokesaid restoration of broadband will help to revive sectors such as tourism,internet-dependent entrepreneurship, education, healthcare and moreover thee-governance endeavour of the state administration.
A senior doctor at a Srinagar hospital, who also teaches atan attached medical college, said digitization of patient data and day-to-dayoperations, which had been affected by the internet ban will become fullyoperational now.
“Doctors need to be able to connect online to learn aboutnew drugs, diagnostic tools and consult colleagues at other places. Withoutaccess to internet, the quality of patient care was affected. Doctors were notable to communicate with colleagues in other cities and countries. They neededto know and confirm many patient related things and many of these activitiesrequire access to the internet,” said the doctor wishing not to be named.
Tourism players in the Valley are also quite upbeat withrestoration of social media and broadband.
Mushtaq Ahmad Chaya, Chairman, JK Hoteliers Club said suddensnapping of web access in August had left the tourism sector in dire straitswhich is now looking ahead for a promising season. Chaya said restoration ofbroadband has come at the right time just before commencement of peak tourismseason.
“This will make a lot of difference to the travel andhospitality industry. We can now promote Kashmir as a tourism destination in abetter way but even tour and hospitality bookings and other businesstransactions will become hassle-free now,” says Chaya.
Senior officials say restoration of broadband service “willhelp in better e-governance.”
“In absence of internet applicants in large numbers used tovisit the RTO office to apply for driving licenses and other documents. Therestoration of broadband and mobile internet service with all siteswhite-listed will be of convenience for people to apply for driving licenses,”said IkramullahTak, Regional Transport Officer, Kashmir.
The internet ban was also a hurdle for more than 70,000government employees in Kashmir, who were not able to submit Income Tax Returndetails due to the internet ban. All these employees have also heaved a sigh ofrelief now.
The continuous internet shutdown in Kashmir for last sevenmonths had also taken a toll on railways in Kashmir. With restoration of socialmedia apps and broadband service, frequent railway passengers expect an updatedtrain time table.
Internet suspension caused a huge loss to the Valley as thereport “The Anatomy of an Internet Blackout: Measuring the Economic Impact ofInternet Shutdowns in India” suggests that Kashmir during last 7 years has seenhighest number of internet shutdowns. While mobile networks have been shut downfor longer than fixed line internet but this time around both platforms ofinternet have been suspended in Kashmir.
Frequent suspension of Internet services in the Valley bythe authorities for last several years has caused a body-blow to Kashmir’seconomy resulting in losses worth almost Rs 4000 crore during last six years,says the study conducted by Delhi-based think-tank – International Council forResearch on International Economic Relations (ICRIER). From three reportedinternet shutdowns in 2012, the number increased to 70 plus witnessed lastyear.