From North to South, signal waning!
After north Kashmir, many telecom tower landlords shut down their operations and vendors started removing hoarding and banners of telecom companies in Srinagar and south Kashmir on Monday.
Following the attack on a cell tower in old Srinagar on Monday, panicky telecom companies shot an SOS to Union Telecom Ministry even as services in many parts of Kashmir were badly hit due to shutting of operations by tower landlords and vendors.
The telecommunication operations in North and South Kashmir remained disrupted while in Srinagar telephone services also got hampered on Monday evening.
After north Kashmir, many telecom tower landlords shut down their operations and vendors started removing hoarding and banners of telecom companies in Srinagar and south Kashmir on Monday.
People complained of poor or no connectivity in several areas.
Kashmir BSNL Tower Landlords Welfare Organization Monday decided to shut down operation of BSNL towers. “In an emergency meeting, our organization unanimously decided to shut down the operation of BSNL towers across the Valley installed in our premises or lands. We are going to close their operations from Monday evening,” said president of the organization, Shabir Ahmad Lone, in a statement.
Similarly, many telecom outlets and vendors have shut down their shops. “After attack on the mobile tower, I have decided to close my showroom,” said Owais Ahmad, a showroom owner at Sanat Nagar here.
Talking to us, General Manager BSNL, Kashmir, Charan Das said that it is a law and order issue. “We hope that police and State resolve it as soon as possible.”
A senior BSNL official stated that their services will depend on cooperation from tower landlords. “If the BSNL tower landlords shut down their operations it would have a direct impact on our services and connectivity would be disrupted,” he said.
Private cellular companies stated that they have approached the Union government through their corporate offices.
“It is a grave issue, there is threat perception. Our tower landlords are giving us distress calls that they would shut operations, so we have approached Union Telecom Ministry to get the issue resolved,” said an executive of a private telecom company here.
He added that after police stated that they couldn’t provide security to all tower landlords, there is aggravating threat perception and even some landlords are requesting us to shift towers from their lands.
“We can understand their grievances and we are also worried as our business is getting badly hit,” he said.
He, however, stated that there is no breakdown in telecom services in Srinagar district so far. “But if the issue is not resolved we fear there will be breakdown of services in whole Kashmir.”
In North Kashmir, telecom services continue to remain affected. “We are not able to connect to our family outside Baramulla district as there is no signal neither the recharge vendors are opening their shops,” said Sadiq Iqbal , a North Kashmir resident.
Four attacks in quick succession against telecom employees and those who have rented out space for installation of mobile towers has led to disruption of communication system in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district with Sopore and Pattan areas worst hit. Baramulla, Sheeri, Pattan, Rafiabad and scores of other areas have no connectivity since Wednesday evening.
More than 40 towers of several telecom companies in Handwara, Magam, Mawar, Qaziabad, Kulangam, Langate and other areas remained shut for third day.
Cellular operators in South Kashmir also closed down their operation leading to communication breakdown.
Police have claimed to have arrested three youth in Khrew area of Pulwama district for pasting threat posters.
Most towers in Kulgam district have been shut down by operators, taking no chances with their safety. Reports say that all towers belonging to Airtel, Reliance, Vodafone, Idea and Aircel have been shut.
Similar reports were received from Shopian and several areas of Pulwama district. Residents said that only BSNL service was operational. The tower landlords have put up ‘closed’ signs, reports said.
