High schools in Kashmir to reopen from Wednesday

High schools in the Kashmir Valley will reopen from Wednesday in areas where restrictions have been lifted, officials said on Tuesday.

They also said shops and business establishments can open in areas where there are no restrictions.

Addressing a press conference, Jammu and Kashmir Director of Information and Public Relations Sehrish Asgar said, "The education department has decided to open all high schools in Kashmir Valley from tomorrow in the areas where relaxations have been provided."

She said restrictions on the movement of people have now been eased in 81 police station areas across the Valley.

"The restrictions have been eased out in more police station areas, now taking the total number to 81. The curbs will be eased out in 10 more areas on Thursday," she said.

Asgar said landline telephone services will be restored in 15 more exchanges by Tuesday evening.

Briefing the reporters about the status of schools, Director Education Kashmir Younis Malik said 3,037 primary schools and 774 middle schools have re-opened across the valley.

He said there has been significant improvement in the attendance of teachers in the schools in the past one week.

"We are making best efforts to increase student attendance in the schools," he said.

Giving details about the situation, SSP Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal, said no major untoward incident has been reported from anywhere in the valley.

"We have not witnessed any major incidents today. Two minor incidents have been reported from Srinagar - one near Tatoo Ground and another in Hawal area.

"They have been dealt with and we are closely monitoring the situation," he said.

Many services including mobile and internet were suspended since August 5 when the Centre abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution and reorganised the state into two Union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.