Shops open through the day, public transport back on Valley roads
We resumed business as there was no call from any side to continue shutdown. Most of private transporters suffered huge losses in last three months. Office bearer of the local minibus association
SRINAGAR: Roughly three months after its special status was scrapped, normalcy is finally returning to Kashmir with shops open throughout the day, public transport on the streets and trains chugging across the Valley.
Most of the markets in Srinagar are open from morning to evening, a sharp contrast to the state of affairs even last week, when shopkeepers would open for business for only a couple of hours in the morning.
In the towns of Baramulla, Uri, Kupwara, Sopore and Bandipore, shopkeepers say they are gradually moving away from their decision to observe a boycott. “The recent snowfall caused everyone to suffer more losses. So people affiliated with business communities have no option but to resume their business,’’ said a trader who also heads one of the oldest trade bodies in Kashmir. He cautioned that the protests against the central government’s move will continue.
Public transport is also back on roads in Srinagar and on the highways, and the familiar sight of mini buses, autos and twowheelers clogging Srinagar’s streets is back. “We resumed the business as there was not any call from any side to continue the shutdown. Most of the private transporters suffered huge losses in last three months,’’ said an office bearer of the local minibus association on condition of anonymity. Internet services continue to be suspended and only post-paid phone services are functional. But some select broadband services are likely to be allowed soon, say officials.
Restrictions on movement and assembly of people were clamped across Kashmir on August 5, when the central government moved to effectively abrogate Section 370 and 35A, which accorded special status to the region, and bifurcated the erstwhile border state into two Union Territories.
Since August 5, restrictions have progressively relaxed but many traders and local businesses voluntarily observed a shutdown to protest against the Centre’s decision to scrap the region’s special status. Officials say the so-called civil curfew was also stoked by the fear of militant attacks. But now, local residents say Srinagar and other towns of the restive mountain region are limping back to normalcy. The Railways resumed its services partially on November 12 and trains are running between Baramulla and Srinagar twice a day. From Sunday, full operations were restored between Banihal and Baramulla. “With improvement in the situation, rail services have been restored, said Deepak Kumar, public relations officer of Northern Railways.
Officials admit that attendance in schools continues to remain low, but high turnout in recent Class 10 and 12 board examinations is a good sign.