Owais Gul
Srinagar, Jan 29 : After remaining suspended for more than five months, the broadband internet services across Kashmir would likely be restored only after the technical experts called from Noida and Bangalore will successfully create firewall to thwart any attempt of consumers to reach the social networking sites.
General Manager of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) cellular company, Nazir Ahmad Joo told KNO that the process for the restoration of broadband internet services in Kashmir has already begun.
“We have called a team of technical experts from Noida and Bangalore who are working over creating a firewall to thwart any attempt by the consumers to reach to the social media applications,” he said, adding that the broadband internet services will not be restored in Kashmir until the firewall is created and access to social media is restricted.
Meanwhile, the consumers who visited the BSNL exchange office in Srinagar told KNO that the officials have pasted a poster on one of its wall, reading that the process to restore the internet services has begun and it will be restored once the testing is done.
According to earlier reports, the broadband as well as mobile internet services were suspended across J&K in the intervening night of August 04-05 last year in wake of the government's announcement to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir (Article 370) and bifurcate the erstwhile State into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Notably, the government restored the broadband internet and 2G mobile internet services in Jammu and also 2G internet services in Kashmir with imposing curbs on social networking sites.
The restoration of internet services in Jammu and Kashmir was followed by the Supreme Court directions on January 10 this year is in compliance of the order in Anuradha Bhasin Vs Union of India and others.
Pertinently, the government had stated that the curbs imposed in Jammu and Kashmir following August 5 decision will be reviewed at appropriate time and all these curbs will be lifted soon after the situation improves.
