Restrictions on movement of people eased, landline services partially restored in Valley

#Around 200 schools of Srinagar to resume classwork on Monday

18/08/2019

SRINAGAR, Aug 17: Restrictions on the movement of people were eased and landline phone services restored in some areas of the Kashmir Valley on Saturday, even as stringent security arrangements remained in place, officials said. They said the restrictions have been relaxed in 35 police station areas of Kashmir while 17 telephone exchanges out of 96 have been made functional.
More than 50,000 landline phones were operational now, the officials said, adding that the services will be restored in other areas in a "calibrated manner".
Security forces continued to man barricades on roads but allowed people to move after checking their credentials, they said. Government spokesperson RohitKansal said primary schools across the Valley will reopen on Monday and government offices will also be fully functional from then. Some shops in the Civil Lines area opened on Saturday morning, the officials said, adding that there was increase in movement of private vehicles.
The officials said landline services were restored in some areas of Srinagar like Civil Lines, Cantonment, airport, Raj Bagh and Jawahar Nagar, but remained suspended in most parts, including the commercial hub of LalChowk and Press Enclave.
They said 20 more exchanges will be operationalised soon. The restoration of exchanges had enabled landline services in Budgam, Sonamarg and Manigam areas of central Kashmir. In north Kashmir, the services have been restored in Gurez, Tangmarg, Uri KeranKarnah and Tangdhar areas. In south Kashmir, the landline services have been made operational in Qazigund and Pahalgam areas.
There was an increase in movement of private vehicles in the Civil Lines areas and other district headquarters of the Valley, the officials said, adding that some inter-district cabs were also seen plying in Dalgate area of the summer capital. However, most of the business establishments, including fuel stations, remained shut.
Addressing a press conference, Kansal said the restrictions have been eased in 35 police station areas.
"The process of providing relaxation and easing of restrictions is already in progress. Relaxation has been provided in 35 police station areas across the length and breadth of the Valley and so far, there are no reports of any untoward incident. The public transport is plying and we have encouraging reports of a lot of public movement," Kansal said.
"The endeavour is to make at least half of the exchanges in the Valley functional by today evening and by tomorrow evening, all of the exchanges, barring few in the vulnerable areas, would be made functional," he said.
Kansal said in Jammu region, landlines and mobile phone services are functional and mobile internet services with some functionality in at least five districts have been restored. Low-speed (2G) mobile internet services have been restored in five districts of Jammu region and restrictions relaxed in 35 police stations in the Kashmir Valley, state police chiefDilbag Singh said on Saturday.
Classes will resume in 190 schools in Srinagar on Monday as the district administration has made all necessary arrangements to ensure safety and security of the students, an official spokesperson said.
"As many as 190 schools will reopen on Monday in various zones of the district. The areas where schools will be opened include Lasjan, Sangri, Panthachowk, Nowgam, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Gagribal, Dhara, Theed, Batmaloo and Shalteng," the spokesperson said.
He said Srinagar deputy commissioner Shahid Iqbal Choudhary convened a meeting on Saturday with officers of the education department and heads of schools in the district. The meeting had extensive discussions with regard to reopening of schools in the district, the spokesman said, adding that school heads and zonal education officers who attended the meeting shared their suggestions.
The spokesman said some schools in Rainawari and Eidgah areas in downtown city will also reopen on Monday.
The deputy commissioner, addressing the meeting, said safety and security of students is the prime concern of the district administration and all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure that.
Compensatory classes would also be held later this month to make up for the days lost, Choudhary said.
The district administration has offered the school managements all required assistance and support to restart the classes, the spokesman said.
Curfew-like restrictions were put in place in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, hours before the Centre's move to scrap provisions of Article 370 and reorganise the state into two union territories. Ahead of the opening of schools in the district on Monday, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary Saturday convened a meeting with officers of the Education department and heads of schools in the district.
The meeting had extensive discussions with regard to reopening of schools in the district from Monday and assistance required if any by the education department. School heads and zonal education officers who attended the meeting shared their suggestions during the meeting.
The meeting was informed that 190 schools will open on Monday in various zones of the district. The areas where schools will be opened include Lasjan, Sangri, Pantha chowk, Nowgam, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Gagribal, Dhara, Theed, Batmaloo, Shalteng among others.
It was said that some schools in Rainawari and Eidgah areas will also open on Monday.
The DC while speaking on the occasion said safety and security of students is the prime concern of the district administration and all necessary requirements have been made to ensure just that.
He also said that compensatory classes will also be held later this month in efforts to make up for the class work lost during the last 10 days. He said that plans in this regard have also been made.
The district administration has offered school managements all required assistance and support to restart class work in all schools of the district.
Landline services in 17 exchanges of the Kashmir Valley were restored on Saturday, officials said. Seventeen out of a little over 100 telephone exchanges were made operational. These exchanges are mainly in Civil Lines area, Cantonment area, airport of Srinagar district.
The landline services have been restored in Budgam, Sonamarg and Manigam areas of central Kashmir. In north Kashmir, the services have been restored in Gurez, Tangmarg, Uri KeranKarnah and Tangdhar areas.
In south Kashmir, the landline services have been made operational in Qazigund and Pahalgam areas.
Telephone line services, including mobile phones and landlines, were suspended in the early hours of August 5 when the Centre abrogated provisions of Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
The Government today said that no untoward incident was reported from the areas where relaxation was given and the process of relaxation would continue tomorrow as well in these areas.
Addressing an evening presser here, Principal Secretary, Planning and Development, Rohit Kansal, who is also Government's spokesperson, said the easing in restrictions resulted in people to come out besides several private vehicles plying on roads in the areas where relaxation was given.
Mr Kansal informed that more than 23,000 land lines would be made functional by this evening with 17 telephone exchanges already opened across Kashmir valley, adding authorities were on job to open remaining landlines by tomorrow evening.
The Spokesperson said that relaxation have been provided in 35 police stations across the Valley and the situation remained peaceful with no untoward incident reported from the areas where relaxation was given in prohibitory orders. He said to ease the relaxation in other areas would be decided after assessing the situation by the local authorities.
MrKansal reiterated that the Government is planning to open primary level schools in the Valley for which necessary arrangements are being made.
On return of Hajis from tomorrow (Sunday) Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan, informed that a comprehensive plan is in place to facilitate to commute the Hajis to their respective places.
He said two flights are slated to land tomorrow morning at Srinagar Airport carrying more than 300 Hajis, for which ten counters for ten districts have been set up with nodal officers to facilitate them. He further said that the passes to the relatives of Hajis have been issued through concerned deputy commissioners.

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