Panicky BSNL tower landlords suspend service
In the wake of a grenade attack on a mobile transmission tower in the city, Kashmir BSNL Tower Landlords’ Welfare Association has decided to close down the operation in the city.
“Our organization has unanimously decided to shutdown the operation of BSNL towers across the Valley. We are going to close the operations from Monday evening,” said president of the association, Shabir Ahmad Lone.
He said two people have already lost their lives in last one week in north Kashmir and the Monday’s blast in Habba Kadal area has created fear among the mobile tower landlords.“We cannot put our lives at risk. Two innocent people have already lost their lives, there is no guarantee of life here,” Lone said.
A grenade blast occurred in Gadood Bagh locality of Habba Kadal resulting in injury to one person and damage to a car parked nearby.
This is the fourth attack on mobile towers since last week. In earlier incidents two mobile vendors in Sopore town were killed by unknown gunmen while a grenade was lobbed into the courtyard of a mobile tower landlord in Pattan area.
Mobile telecommunication services continue to remain disrupted in the township and adjoining areas in north Kashmir. The breakdown has incurred huge losses to the cellular companies while banking operations are also likely to get impacted in the affected areas.
All the leading telecom operators have expressed concern owing to threats by a lesser known outfit Lashkar-e-Islam to wind up their business.
“All telecom operators have been instructed not to share any details by their heads but cellular companies are incurring huge losses due to shutdown of mobile communication,” a telecom official said on the condition of anonymity.
As per the official data, there are over 200 towers installed in Baramulla district.
Reports said except state-owned BSNL, almost all the outlets of different telecom companies including Airtel, Aircel, Vodafone remained closed in Sopore, Sheeri, Pattan, Sangrama, Delina, Chandoosa, Kreeri, Wagoora and other townships of Baramulla district.
Meanwhile, J&K Bank has informed its customers that banking services at its branches may remain affected in the coming days.
“Owing to the temporary disruption of telecommunication service in certain areas of Kashmir valley, banking service at a few branches and ATM locations in effected area may get impacted,” the bank’s advertisement notice reads.
Talking to Rising Kashmir, J&K Bank’s IT head, R K Shah said even though they have shifted on VSAT technology “but non-functioning of towers can create hindrance in banking operations”.
“All our branches in north Kashmir are operational. We have shifted to VSAT and our wireless system is also working. However, it can slow down the pace in banking operations,” Shah said.
He said due to shutdown of certain towers, customers might face inconvenience in transactions and in online work.
“It is not much of a concern but shutdown of towers in certain areas can lead to some inconvenience to customers while transacting their money via ATM or online,” he said.
