Srinagar, June 16, KNT: Widespread anger is brewing among business owners and shopkeepers in Srinagar’s central commercial hub, Lal Chowk, particularly in the Residency Road area, over the poor mobile network services provided by telecom giant Jio. The users, mostly traders and professionals, have accused the company of turning a blind eye to their repeated complaints and concerns.
For weeks now, the quality of Jio’s calling network in the area has remained dismal, with users experiencing frequent call drops, failed connections, and extremely poor voice clarity. Many say it has become nearly impossible to conduct business communications smoothly in the heart of the city.
“Forget browsing or using UPI apps, we can’t even make a basic phone call,” said Zahid Ahmad, who runs a showroom near Lambert Lane. “We have complained several times to the Jio representatives and even raised it with the customer care helpline, but there’s been no improvement. It seems like they have abandoned Lal Chowk.”
Businessmen operating in Residency Road, Court Road, and adjoining markets also expressed their frustration, saying poor connectivity has not only impacted their professional work but is also turning customers away.
“Many of our transactions require OTPs and payment confirmations over call. Sometimes customers lose patience when we have to wait ten minutes for a message or voice call to go through,” said an electronics dealer from Residency Road.
Several traders’ associations in the area are also planning to raise the issue jointly with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) if the situation does not improve soon. They have termed Jio’s service in the business district as “a communication collapse in the digital age.”
Despite the rising chorus of complaints, no substantial action or public clarification has been issued by Jio so far. The company’s silence has only added to the resentment.
The affected users have appealed to Jio’s regional management to urgently address the connectivity problem and take steps to restore reliable calling and internet services in Srinagar’s busiest commercial zone. [KNT]
