After Almost 550 Days, 4G Mobile Internet to Be Restored in J&K

The internet service was first curbed in the region on 5 August 2019. Image used for representation.

(Photo: Shruti Mathur/The Quint)

4G mobile internet service is being restored in the entirety of Jammu and Kashmir, said Rohit Kansal, Jammu and Kashmir Principal Secretary (Power & Information), on Friday, 5 February.

(Image: Twitter)

Vice President of Jammu and Kashmir National Congress Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to congratulate J&K for receiving 4G access again.

“4G Mubarak! For the first time since Aug 2019 all of J&K will have 4G mobile data. Better late than never.”

Omar Abdullah

The internet service was first curbed in the region on 5 August 2019, hours before the Centre’s abrogation of Article 370.

First, the landlines were restored in J&K, reported Hindustan Times. Low-speed 2G internet was restored in the Valley in January 2020.

According to IANS, so far, 4G mobile services have only been available in only two districts of J&K — Udhampur in the Jammu division and Ganderbal in the Kashmir division. All other 18 districts of the union territory have had to make do with the 2G mobile internet service.

There had been growing demand from businesses, students and professionals for the restoration of 4G mobile Internet services. Poor internet connectivity compounded the problems of people across the UT particularly students as absence of high speed internet impacted the effectiveness of online classes.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for the restoration of high speed internet.

"I thank the Hon'ble PM @narendramodi Ji and HM @AmitShah Ji for acceding to our request and restoring 4G services in the entire J&K UT. The move will fulfil the aspirations of the people, particularly the youth," he said in a tweet.