SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir authorities on Tuesday announced the restoration of internet service through fixed broadband lines in all government-run hospitals and SMS facility on all mobiles in Kashmir from December 31 midnight.
Mr Rohit Kansal, spokesman of the J&K government, told the media in the winter capital, Jammu, that the process had started on December 10 when some SMS services were enabled on mobile phones to facilitate students, scholarship applicants, traders and others. They still could not send messages but could receive one-time passwords from machine-based connections such as banks. “It has now been decided to fully restore the service throughout Kashmir from midnight of December 31”, he said.
The spokesman did not say when the internet service will be restored across the board in the Valley but claimed that around six lakh persons, like students, tour operators, businessmen and contractors were facilitated at 900 internet touch points established by the government at various places in each district headquarters of the Valley. Prepaid mobile phone service remains suspended in the valley. Internet service on mobile phones was restored in Kargil last week while Leh district had been spared from the communication blockade on August 4.
