Despite ease in restrictions, markets stay shut in Valley

Rifat Mohidin

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Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 18

While the authorities have eased restrictions in most parts of the Civil Line areas after 12 days of lockdown, markets in the commercial hub continued to be closed on Sunday as people preferred to remain indoors.

In the Jawahar Nagar area, which used to be partially open even during the peak of 2016 unrest, the shops there have remained shut for the past two weeks. On Sunday too, most of the shops remained closed even though the authorities have removed additional deployment of troops and barricades from the roads in the area.

“There is still a lot of tension in the city and people do not want to take any chances. There has been a lot of resentment among the people here who are angry with the government for restricting their movement and blocking communication,” said Shumail Ahmad, who runs a readymade garment shop in Jawahar Nagar.

In Lal Chowk, Jahangir Chowk and Maisuma, the roads were deserted with people moving in twos and threes. The residents continue to stay in their homes and avoid going out due to the prevailing tension.

“People are still in shock for what has happened in the past two weeks,” said Zubair Ahmad, a resident of Abi Guzar, in the city.

As part of its plan to bring the Valley back to normalcy, the government has decided to open primary schools area-wise in the region that has been under security lockdown after August 5 when the authorities scrapped the special status of the region.

The landline phones have been restored in some areas of Srinagar and Budgam. But the mobile phones and all types of Internet facilities continue to be shut as there is no timeline given by the authorities yet as to when it will be restored.

People angry with govt

There is still a lot of tension in the city and people do not want to take any chances. There has been a lot of resentment among the people here who are angry with the government for restricting their movement and blocking communication — Shumail Ahmad, businessman

Primary schools to open area-wise

As part of its plan to bring the Valley back to normalcy, the government has decided to open primary schools area-wise in the region that has been under security lockdown after August 5 when the authorities scrapped the special status of the region.