Restoring postpaid mobile telephony to help return of normalcy in Kashmir: Guv advisor

With the postpaid mobile telephony set to be restored in Kashmir from Monday, Jammu and Kashmir administration has expressed hope that it would help achieve normalisation in the Valley.

Normal day-to-day activities has been disrupted across Kashmir since August 5, the day the Centre revoked the state's special status after negating the Article 370 of the Constitution and providing for reorganisation of the state into two Union territories of J&K and Ladakh from October 31.

The state administration announced on Saturday that about 40 lakh postpaid mobile phones will become operational from Monday noon.

Over 20 lakh prepaid mobile phones, besides the mobile and other internet services, however, will remain suspended for now.

"When the curbs on the cell phones have been taken away, we are expecting large number of tourists to come there (Kashmir). We are also expecting that people, if they are somehow not able to do normal activities, have no more excuse not to do that," Governor Satya Pal Malik's advisor Farooq Khan told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

Asserting that radicalisation does not have any place in Jammu and Kashmir, he said the Valley youths have given a go-by to the radicalisation despite the best possible efforts by Pakistan which has left no stone unturned to destroy the beautiful state.

In reply to another question about the spurt in grenade attacks by terrorists including the one at Hari Singh High Street in Srinagar on Saturday which left seven pedestrians injured, Khan said "a grenade attack here and there is not going to make any effect on the situation.

"Our neighbour (Pakistan) will continue to try its best to disturb the peace in Jammu and Kashmir but we are strong enough and have shown our resilience. The state has shown its resilience towards any such despicable actions by this neighbour," he said.

At a separate function here this afternoon, the advisor said the administration is aware of the reservation expressed by the people over the newly set up toll plaza at Sarore on Jammu-Pathankot highway.

"Better roads, bridges and tunnels are being constructed across the country under public-private partnership to provide good infrastructure to the people. The toll plaza's are being set up for time being to return money to the company involved in the construction work," he said.

Khan, however, said the concerned ministry will take up the issue with National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to address the concern of the people.

Politicians cutting across party lines have joined the popular demand for dismantling of the toll plaza at Sarore in Samba district.

On manhandling of a driver by a toll plaza contractor and his staff, Khan said, "The law will take its own course."