After nearly one-and-a-half years, 4G Internet services will be resumed across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the administration’s official spokesperson Rohit Kansal announced on Twitter. 4G Internet in most of the Union territory has been cut since August 4, 2019, a day before the Central government abrogated Article 370, which had granted it special status, and subsequently created the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
It was only at the end of January 2020, that fixed line services were allowed to resume operation, while mobile data was restored to 2G speeds. Access was limited to a whitelist of 301 websites, and access to social media websites was enabled only in March 2020. Since then, two districts — Udhampur and Ganderbal — have seen restoration of 4G Internet on a trial basis.
4G mobile internet services being restored in entire J&K @diprjk
— Rohit Kansal (@kansalrohit69) February 5, 2021
The Internet shutdown has had a massive impact on the region’s economy and populace. It had crippled the medical response to the COVID-19 pandemic, put students at a disadvantage in a time of remote learning and left businesses in shambles. Notwithstanding, the Home ministry has claimed that the Internet shutdown has, in fact, had no adverse impact on the population.
Feet on the ground
Read our on-ground reports on the impact of the Internet shutdowns in Kashmir
- Kashmir’s doctors, patients struggle as critical medical services are crippled by year-long Internet shutdown in region
- Kashmir’s students struggle with online classes, as Internet shutdown in region approaches one-year mark
- Kashmiri businesses teetering on bankruptcy, as year-long Internet shutdown chokes e-commerce
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