- Train service resumes partly on 146th Day
- Classwork resumed in NIT Srinagar
- Markets opens in afternoon
Kashmir witnessed a shutdown on 146th day of the ongoing agitation as shops, other business establishments and schools remained closed. Public transport thinly plied on some routes in the Srinagar city and connecting districts, where as government offices mostly remained functional. However, the train service in Kashmir partly resumed on Thursday, after remaining suspended for about five months since July 9.
Meanwhile city bazaars and markets across Kashmir opened in the later after as per the protest calendar given by the joint resistance leadership.
The train service was today resumed from Banihal to Budgam while service from Budgam onwards to Baramulla would be resumed shortly, said an official.
The service has got importance in Kashmir as hundreds of commuters including students, public and private employees, patients, traders and other professionals use it as a local for their daily commute.
Railway officials said that the services were difficult to resume earlier as railway tracks and railway property were damaged regularly in the Kashmir during present unrest and it suffered loss of around Rs 4.5 crore.
The services were suspended on July 9 following widespread protests over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces. Mobile and internet services were also snapped by the authorities across the Kashmir.
Shutdown was observed across Kashmir Thursday on 146th day of the ongoing agitation as shops, other business establishments and schools remained closed while government offices remained functional. A pro-freedom march was held in Bandipora and Pulwama. Both the protest marchs culminated peacefully.
Reports and witnesses said few of shops and petrol pumps also remained open in Srinagar.
Few shops also remained open in interior areas of Anantnag (Islamabad), Kokernag, Kulgam, Baramulla and other districts. Street vendors had also installed their kiosks in many places.
Old Srinagar areas including Nowhatta, Khanyar, Eidgah, Alamgiri Bazar, Soura, Buchpora, Lal Bazar, Sadrabal, Babademb remained shut with thin vehicular movement.
Reports and witnesses said that markets opened as soon as the relaxation timing commenced and even at certain places little earlier. The number of pedestrians, shoppers, public and private transport increased manifold in late afternoon, prior to 4 pm.
In late afternoon, markets re-opened during the relaxation period announced by joint resistance leadership. As the clock ticked 4, shopkeepers upped the shutters of shops and customers started making a beeline.
Policemen in plain clothes Thursday picked up a 16-year-old Class 10 student from Lawaypora area of Srinagar city.
The policemen from Parimpora Police Station had parked a private car outside the residence of Mubashir Ahmad in Lawaypora. As he came out of the house, he was quickly overpowered and taken away from the spot, said locals.
The family of the youth said that Mubashir is not involved in any stone pelting or protests and had returned from the maternal home after a gap of three months.
One of the police officials, while confirming arrest, said that Mubashir was evading arrest since August. “He is involved in stone-pelting incidents and took part in anti-state protests,” the police officer added.
The joint resistance leadership has so far issued 22 protest calendars which included four full-day relaxations on weekends in the last two weeks. The joint resistance leadership on Wednesday issued fresh protest programme, extending the shutdown until December 8, with full-day relaxation on the weekend. It has also increased the relaxation closing timing from 7pm to 8 am.
Meanwhile, National Institute of Technology, Srinagar has resumed class work for its BTech first semester from November 28, after remaining closed for about five months post killing of Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Burhan Wani.
According the Raj Bhavan spokesperson, Director, NIT, Prof AR Dar informed Governor NN Vohra that classwork has been resumed in the institute.
“As per the NIT’s report PhD. and M.Tech classes are also proceeding smoothly; classes for BTech 7th semester are scheduled to commence from December 15and those for 3rd and 5th semesters from Januray 1, 2017; students of 3rd and 5th semesters have in the meanwhile, been undergoing internship/practical training and students of 7th semester have been working on their final year project and seminars,” the spokesperson said.
NIT has taken various steps and made arrangements for resumption of academic work, which include provision of adequate facilities for heating in the classrooms and hostels; adoption of on-line teaching with e-lectures uploaded on the website of the Institute. To compensate for the time lost due to the unrest it has been decided to cancel the winter vacation and to observe a 6 day instead of the usual 5 day week. All holidays have also been cancelled.
Baseer Ahmed Khan, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, who had been asked by the Governor to provide all required support for NIT to resume full academic functioning has taken a series of meetings and has informed the Governor that Chief Engineer EM&RE Kashmir shall make the required arrangements to provide uninterrupted power supply to NIT through a dedicated powerline.
The spokesperson recalled the Governor’s continued concern over the irreparable damage suffered by students at all levels due to the recent unrest in the Kashmir Division. He has been stressing on the crucial importance of the required steps being taken most expeditiously to compensate the loss of studies and for the pending examinations in colleges and Universities. In this context, in the past weeks Governor had taken several meetings with the Minister for Education, the Vice- Chancellors of the Kashmir based Private, State and Central Universities and NIT.
