Phone lines in Kashmir to be restored over weekend, schools to reopen next week: JK chief secy

Most phone lines in Kashmir will be restored over the weekend and schools will reopen next week, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam said on Friday while announcing the easing of restrictions in a phased and "orderly way".

Offices of the Jammu and Kashmir government in the Valley functioned normally on Friday and the attendance in many offices was "quite high", Subrahmanyam said at a press conference.

He said there has been no loss of life or major injury since restrictions were imposed on August 5, when Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 was revoked and the state bifurcated into two Union Territories.

"...There will be easing of restrictions in the next few days in an orderly way," Subrahmanyam told reporters here, adding that steps would be taken keeping in view the evolving situation as well as the cooperation of the people in maintaining calm and peace.

"Schools will be opened after the weekend area-wise so that children's studies do not suffer," he said.

Telecom connectivity, a major point of concern, will gradually be eased and restored in a phased manner keeping in mind the constant threat posed by terrorist organisations in using mobile connectivity to organise terror actions, Subrahmanyam said.

Asked about the restoration of telephone lines, he said, "You will see gradual restoration from tonight and tomorrow onwards. You will find a lot of Srinagar functioning tomorrow morning. BSNL takes a couple of hours to get back to action. Exchange by exchange they will be switching it on. Over the weekend, you will have most of these lines functional."