The subscribers of private telecommunication companies like Jio and Airtel and government telecommunication company BSNL have complained about erratic calling and internet services in Nangeenpora and its adjacent areas in Kund hamlet of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
The residents of Nangeenpora which according to locals consists of over 300 households have been suffering in absence of proper network connectivity.
Masarat Rasool, a local resident talking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that they cannot make any calls even during emergencies and living without proper connectivity in today’s world is like living in darkage.
“Most of the work in the modern era is done on mobile phones but in absence of proper connectivity, they are unable to do anything on phone and have to visit offices for even minor things,” Masrat said.
When the world is witnessing 5G internet connectivity, we don’t have basic cellular connectivity to call our friends, relatives and others, said Danish Ahmad, another local resident.
“We usually move to other places to make phone calls as our phones remain out of service, when we stay indoors,” he said.
Locals said that the student community has suffered a lot in the last two or three years as they are facing problems in attending online classes in absence of network connectivity.
“Students are going to nearby areas in search of mobile connectivity to attend their classes,” they said.
After the rise of Omicron cases, students have been again asked to attend online classes so local students again will have to go for kilometres in search of a proper network and attend classes, they said.
They said that during emergencies they are unable to contact their relatives.
“We have brought this issue into the notice of concerned authorities several times but despite repeated assurances the ground situation remained as it was,” they said.
Locals appealed concerned authorities from the government as well as private cellular companies to install towers in their areas, “so that they can avail mobile phone network facility in this modern era”—(KNO)