Telecom Services Disrupted in Kashmir Due to Heavy Rains and Floods

Heavy rains and floods in Kashmir damaged multiple optical fiber routes, disrupting telecom services for several hours earlier this week. The damage cut off networks of leading service providers, including BSNL, Airtel, Jio, and others, leaving thousands of subscribers without connectivity. BSNL officials reported over 30 fiber cuts on its main routes, while Airtel's supply line from Jammu faced over 25 breaks. Jio suffered a total blackout of mobile and broadband services, forcing the Department of Telecommunications to issue emergency orders to activate "Intra-Circle Roaming" to ease the crisis.

Key Takeaways:

• BSNL reported more than 30 fiber cuts on its main routes, cutting off connectivity for several hours.
• Airtel's supply line from Jammu faced over 25 breaks, disrupting services for thousands of subscribers.
• Jio suffered a total blackout of mobile and broadband services, leaving subscribers in complete isolation.
• BSNL teams restored services within 2 days, with 24x7 efforts from staff to reach the damaged sites.
• Airtel teams worked round the clock to restore connectivity, with underground cables badly damaged by cloudbursts and landslides.
• The Department of Telecommunications issued emergency orders to activate "Intra-Circle Roaming" to ease the crisis, allowing subscribers to connect to any available network.
• The Divisional Commissioner, Anshul Garg, acknowledged the restoration of critical services, which played a vital role in ensuring real-time dissemination of information and data.

Statistics:

• 30: Number of fiber cuts reported by BSNL on its main routes.
• 25: Number of fiber cuts reported by Airtel's supply line from Jammu.
• 2 days: Time taken by BSNL to restore full connectivity.
• On August 26: The collapse of telecom services began at around 2 pm.
• September 2: The facility of "Intra-Circle Roaming" will remain operational until this date.

Sources:

• Arvind Pandey, Principal General Manager, BSNL Kashmir.
• A senior Airtel official.
• Divisional Commissioner, Anshul Garg.
• Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• The Northlines, Copyright 2025.