BSNL HQ to shift back to Srinagar after 15 years

Srinagar, Mar 23 (UNI) The Union Telecommunication Minister's decision to shift the headquaters of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) back to Srinagar from Jammu after 15 years has been welcomed here.

However, some migrant employees at Jammu, who are drawing salary from the Srinagar circle of the BSNL, are opposing the move.

A statement of the joint action committee of the six unions of BSNL employees in Kashmir have welcomed the decision and said this will help the department to serve the people better.

It said this will help the overall development of the telecom service in the valley which has suffered a major set back during the past 15 years of turmoil.

In 1990, the office of the Chief General Manager of BSNL was shifted to Jammu alongwith staff following eruption of militancy in the valley.

All the telephone and other bills were being issued to valley subscribers from Jammu. However, there was no breakdown of the system and the communication net work functioned normally during all these years.

The statement said that in the presence of a major challenge from the private telecom operators, it was necessary to shift the office of the Chief General manager back to Srinagar.

The employees said that they are ready to work in double shifts in case some migrant employee refused to return here. However, they said that no employee should be forced to return back.

Commenting on the opposition by some section of employees at Jammu, they reiterated the office was originally functioning from here before 1990 and must be shifted back to meet the challenge of private operators in the field.

UNI BAS ARB DB1807