- By Aalok Sensharma
- Sat, 25 Jan 2020 07:55 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Srinagar | Jagran News Desk: After nearly six months after the abrogation of Article 370, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to restore 2G mobile internet services on postpaid as well as prepaid phones across the union territory from Saturday, an official order said.
However, the access be limited only on whitelisted sites and social media applications will continue to remain out of bounds for the Valley's residents, the order said while adding that the data services shall be available on postpaid as well as prepaid sim cards.
“It is hereby directed that mobile data services and Internet access through fixed-line shall be allowed across the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir with the following restrictions... The aforesaid direction shall come into effect from January 25, 2020, and remain in force till January 31, 2020, unless modified earlier,” Jammu and Kashmir administration said in the order on Friday.
Earlier a week ago, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had ordered the restoration of prepaid mobile services in the Valley and resumption of 2G mobile data service on whitelisted websites across the Jammu division.
The sites approved include search engines and those associated with banking, education, news, travel, utilities and employment.
This came after the Supreme Court came down heavily on the Jammu and Kashmir administration for restrictions of internet facilities and asked it to review within a week all orders imposing curbs in the Union Territory.
Internet services, landline and mobile phones were snapped across Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of the Centre's announcement to scrap special status of the erstwhile state and its bifurcation into Union Territories on August 5.
While most of the services except mobile internet were restored in Jammu within a week, Kashmir witnessed restoration of landlines and postpaid mobile services and internet facilities for essential services like hospitals in phases.
(With PTI inputs)