Internet shutdown takes toll on biz, residents’ routine in Mohali district

Tribune News Service

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, March 20

Past three days had been a nightmare for residents of Mohali district with the mobile Internet services remaining suspended in view of the crackdown on pro-Khalistan activists.

The move was aimed at preventing the spread of disinformation or inflammatory content as the police carried out an operation to arrest Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistan activist, who is on the run.

Public at receiving end

With no access to the Internet, I am unable to work, which is affecting my productivity. My WiFi is down due to some technical issues. — Abhishek Sharma, an IT professional

I had to go to a hospital for a check-up, but I couldn’t book a cab online. I had to rely on the local transportation, which was inconvenient. — Neha Singh

We have closed delivery service for the time being. Since the mobile Internet services have been suspended, food delivery boys cannot assess the location. — A restaurant owner

The sudden suspension of mobile Internet service has caused a lot of inconvenience to people, particularly those who relied on it for their daily routine or livelihood.

Abhishek Sharma, an IT professional, who worked from home, was struggling to meet the work deadlines as he could not access the Internet. He said: “I have been working from home for the past year, and the Internet is crucial to my work. With no access to the Internet, I am unable to work, which is affecting my productivity. My WiFi is down due to some technical issues. I am unable to use mobile data as well. I hope the government resolves this issue soon.”

Another resident of Mohali, Neha Singh, faced a different problem. She was unable to book a cab online as there was no Internet service. She said: “I had to go to a hospital for a check-up, and I couldn’t book a cab online. I had to rely on the local transportation, which was inconvenient. It’s frustrating to be unable to use essential services due to something which is beyond our control.”

The Internet shutdown also had an impact on the food delivery services, as people were unable to order food online. The food joints have closed the delivery services until the Internet services are resumed.

A restaurant owner of Zirakpur shared the food delivery boys had to see the location online on Google Maps when they received an order. Since the mobile Internet services are closed, the location of delivery cannot be assessed, he said.

Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Mohali, said, “I usually order food online. But since the Internet services are down, I have to buy groceries and cook my food. It’s a hassle.”

Manoj Gupta, a small business owner, said, “I rely on the Internet to manage my business operations. The Internet shutdown has brought my business to a halt, and I fear I might lose customers if the situation persists.”

Anoop, a cab driver, said for the past three days, I have not been able to get rides due to mobile Internet shutdown. Now, the ban has been extended to one more day. This is impacting my livelihood.