NEW DELHI, Sept 11:
Telecom connectivity in the Kashmir valley has been partially restored with BSNL so far resuming 53 mobile towers in Srinagar city alone.
Other private operators have also restored some of their base transceiver stations (BTS) or mobile towers across the Valley.
“With the restoration of three mobile exchanges, 65 per cent network affected by the flood is now up and functioning. We have restored 90 mobile towers across the Valley,” BSNL Director (consumer mobility) Anupam Shrivastava told PTI.
He said three of BSNL officials landed at Lal Chowk, which is still submerged, in order to restore one mobile exchange.
“The officials will work through the night to restore a mobile exchange, which is on the third floor. The first two floors, which housed our landline exchange and mobile switching centre are submerged and the equipment has been completely destroyed,” he said.
BSNL will also set up PCOs in relief camps and will try to restore 90 per cent of the affected network in the next couple of days.
Airtel in a statement said connectivity in many of the areas has been restored, including Jammu-Srinagar Highway, Barzulla, Noorani Colony, Peerbagh, Wanbal, Sanat nagar, Parray pura, old airport road, Rangrt and Budgam railway station, among others.
Reliance Communications said its BTSes in many critically-hit areas are now up and running, including four towers in the worst-hit South Kashmir area.
“RCom’s wireless network is up and running at all relief camp sites in the Srinagar area,” the company said in a statement.
The company is also offering free calls at its PCOs at relief camps free and the duration of each call is fixed at 3 minutes.
“Through its roaming arrangements with other operators, RCom subscribers are now able to access services via more than 100 BTS,” the company said.
Around 200 people have lost their lives in the floods in J&K, while as many as 82,000 people from the affected areas have been evacuated by the armed forces. (AGENCIES)
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