The Department of Telecommunication DoT has asked all telecom service providers to activate intra-circle roaming (ICR) in Jammu and Kashmir till September 2. The directive comes due to a widespread telecom failure in many parts of the region.
This notice has been sent by DoT to all the private telecom operators, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi).
The widespread telecommunication failure in Jammu comes amid severe weather conditions. The rains and floods have caused damage to optic fibres, which has led to communication blackouts in many regions. The blackout caused panic among residents and impeded emergency responders. Telecom operators said that they deployed teams to restore services.
Earlier, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah made a post on X that said, “ Still struggling with almost non-existent communication. There is a trickle of data flowing on Jio mobile, but no fixed line WiFi, no browsing, almost no apps, things like X open frustratingly slowly, and WhatsApp struggles with anything more than short text messages. Haven’t felt this disconnected since the terrible days of 2014 & 2019.”
Still struggling with almost nonexistent communication. There is a trickle of data flowing on Jio mobile but no fixed line WiFi, no browsing, almost no apps, things like X open frustratingly slowly, WhatsApp struggles with anything more than short text messages. Haven’t felt this…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 27, 2025
The DoT order also specified that the ICR facility should be given to all visitors in Jammu and Kashmir.
What is Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR)?
ICR is a facility that is often activated in regions where natural disasters have damaged mobile networks. The facility allows mobile users to connect to other available networks in the same region when their network has a weak signal.
In this case, if a Jio SIM user is unable to access network connections due to a weak signal, they will be able to use and be connected to the network of any other service provider, such as Airtel or BSNL, to make calls or use data. The facility is especially important in times of emergency and allows people to ask for help during disasters
Jammu and Kashmir have been lashed by rains for the past 24 hours, which triggered flashfloods, ladslides and widespread disruption in the region. According to the meteorological department, Jammu is set to see heavy raifall for the next 40 hours with Basantar, Tiwi and Chenab rivers all overflowing. Disaster relief operations have also begun.
The state has been given an orange alert today for heavy rains, and schools and colleges remain closed.
