People in Jammu welcome administration's order to partially restore internet in 5 districts

The residents of five districts of Jammu welcomed the issuing of orders by the administration to partially restore internet services in the Union Territory from Wednesday.

A local businessman Ranjan Gupta said: "We could not take payments online as there was no internet. We welcome the decision to start internet services again by the government."

Kishor Gupta, a local said: "They should have started the internet services earlier. The government suspended the internet due to the threat of terrorism. We thank the government for deciding to start the services again."

Anuradha, a college student said that her studies were affected due to suspension of the internet but welcomed the government's decision.

"It is difficult for college students to study without the internet. There are some books that are only available online," she said.

Another local resident said that he had to go to different cyber cafes to fill up online forms, but once the internet services start again he can fill the forms on his phone.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir administration issued orders to partially allow 2G mobile connectivity on postpaid mobiles for accessing white-listed sites in five districts of Jammu region-- Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi from January 15.

The administration also allowed broadband internet services in hotels, educational institutions and travel establishments in the Union Territory.

According to the order issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department, the Kashmir division will establish an additional 400 internet kiosks.

The order came days after the Supreme Court, on January 10, directed to review all orders suspending internet services in Jammu and Kashmir and stated that the "right to access the internet is a fundamental right under Article 19 of the constitution".

The Central government had suspended the internet in the region following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories -- Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.