4G mobile internet services in Ganderbal and Udhampur would continue till September 30
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday decided against extending 4G mobile internet facility outside Ganderbal and Udhampur districts, citing concerns about misuse by terrorists and their supporters.
However, it said the high-speed facility which was restored on a trial basis in central Kashmir's Ganderbal and Jammu region's Udhampur on August 16 would continue till this month-end as there has been no report of misuse in the two districts.
In an order issued this evening, Principal Secretary in the Home Department Shaleen Kabra said that after a fresh review of the situation, it has been decided that internet speed will remain restricted to 2G in the rest of the 18 districts.
The order said the law enforcement agencies have given credible inputs on terror groups making sustained efforts to lure young people and "indicated potential misuse of high-speed data services in disturbing public order".
The agencies have expressed concerns that the high-speed data services can be misused for assisting infiltration attempts by terrorists.
4G mobile internet services in Ganderbal and Udhampur would continue till September 30, unless modified earlier, the order said, adding no report of misuse has been received from the two districts.
In the rest of 18 other districts, the internet speed would continue to be restricted to 2G only, it said.
Internet was snapped in Jammu and Kashmir before the centre's announcement on August 5 last year to scrap special status and divide the state into two Union Territories.
However, 2G internet facility on mobile phones was restored on January 25 this year. The resumption of 4G internet services in Ganderbal and Udhampur after a gap of a year on August 16 came days after the centre informed the Supreme Court that a special committee looking into the matter was considering allowing the facility on a trial basis in two districts of the Union Territory.