Internet blockade turns online train time table obsolete

In absence of internet connectivity in Kashmir Northern Railway has been unable to keep the commuters abreast about the train timings in the Valley.  The internet blockade has turned the online timetable of Kashmir train from Baramulla to Banihal obsolete.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration had snapped the interneton all the platforms across Kashmir on August 5 a few hours before theGovernment of India announced its decision to abrogate the special status ofthe erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate it into two UnionTerritories, J&K and Ladakh.  

   

“With no internet access, train users are unable to check thedaily train timings on the online National Train Information Enquiry System(NTIES). Hundreds of train users in Kashmir had downloaded the NTIES mobileapplication, which used to keep them updated with the local train timing.However, the internet shutdown is keeping people away from using this service,”a senior Railway official told Greater Kashmir.

The official said that prior to August 5 Northern Railways inKashmir had created many WhatsApp groups to keep people updated about traintimings.  “Ever since train service wasresumed in Kashmir last month, our telephone helplines keep buzzing with callsfrom people to know about the train timings. Tech-savvy train commuters whoearlier used to know train timings with just a click of a smart phone have tonow wait for their calls to get through,” the official added.

He said business transactions of Railways, which used to bedone online have to be processed manually in absence of the internet.

Mehraj-u-din Bhat, a student from Tangmarg had developed atrain time mobile application, it  hasbecome defunct due to the internet shutdown. Bhat’s mobile app used to beavailable at Google Playstore. “Be it students, employees or tourists, everyoneused to avail the benefit of knowing train timings through my app. The mobileapp had become very popular but now the internet shutdown has dampened myinnovation,” said Bhat.

Apart from the timetable of all railways stations acrossKashmir, the application developed by Bhat used to offer services such as trainstatus enquiry, station helpline numbers, Railway Police helpline numbers andtrain journal. “I hope at least authorities restore broadband internet serviceso that my app is up and running soon. In an age of digital world we have beenpushed into darkness by such as prolonged internet shutdown,” Bhat said.

Apart from affecting theinternet-based timetable of the train service, the internet gag has also becomea hurdle for various proposed endeavors of the Railways. “There was a proposalto start online booking of train tickets in Kashmir. However, this plan hasbeen put on the backburner due to the internet shutdown. We hope the internetis restored soon so that all our plans in the pipeline get implemented,” saidanother Railway official.

As per the report “The Anatomy of an Internet Blackout:  Measuring the Economic Impact of internetshutdowns in India” Kashmir during last 7 years has seen highest number ofinternet shutdowns followed by Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat. While mobilenetworks have been shut down for longer than fixed line Internet but this timearound both platforms of internet have been suspended in Kashmir.

Frequent suspension ofinternet services in the Valley by the authorities for last several years hascaused a body-blow to Kashmir’s economy resulting in losses worth almost Rs4000 crore during past six years between 2012 to 2017, says the study conductedby Delhi-based think-tank International Council for Research on InternationalEconomic Relations (ICRIER). From three reported internet shutdowns in 2012,the number increased to 70 plus witnessed this year. This includes the ongoinginternet gag which has completed four months. The duration of shutdowns increased from a total of 9 hours in 2012 tomore than 3000 hours during 2019.

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