Cellphones start ringing in Sopore’s Rampura as village gets mobile connectivity

Residents thank LG, DC Baramulla, say it is a ‘dream come true’

The cellphones at the tourist destination in Sopore hills in this north Kashmir’s Baramulla district have started ringing for the first time as the area gets mobile connectivity, two decades after the facility was launched in the valley.

Rampura, some 30 kilometres away from the sub-headquarter Sopore town, is a village known for its enchanting landscapes and is nestled amidst the lush green valleys and towering mountains. It had remained untouched by the rapid advancements of technology and is now connected to mobile and the internet.

Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the locals expressed gratitude to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar, saying it was a long-pending demand that has been fulfilled.

“Now, our area will be connected with the rest of the world,” said a local, Bashir Ahmad. “The installation of the Jio mobile tower has brought immense cheer and relief for us, particularly the students, who were suffering immensely.”

Bashir said the lack of mobile network connectivity was depriving the people of the village of many government-sponsored schemes. “Now, this is a new beginning,” he said.

Parveez Ahmad, a teacher, said, “After getting mobile reception in the hamlet, we are now able to process the demands of the students and school on time. Most importantly, the students would not miss their online assignments in the coming times.”

Similarly, Ubaid Wali, a student of the government higher secondary school, said they are “very much thankful” to the administration. “We would now be able to use Google and other tech platforms besides online classes which otherwise were a distant dream for us,” he said.

The villagers termed the development a “dream come true” for them.

On November 8, 2022, Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr Syed Sehrish Asgar asked the telecom authorities to provide mobile connectivity to the uncovered rural areas of the district including the Rampura Rajpora hamlet