IN A surprise move, probably for the first time, the entire mobile network was jammed by the district administration during the Nagar Nigam polling from 10 am to 5 pm causing unavoidable inconveniences to citizens.
The step was taken by General Manager Lucknow (Mobile) following the directives of District Election Officer Amrit Abhijat this morning.
On being contacted BSNL General Manager PK Srivastava told HT Allahabad Live that a letter of District Election Officer was received by his office this morning addressed to the GM UP in this regard.
He said after 5 pm jam was lifted by BSNL. He refused to comment on the issue adding the action was taken from Lucknow's directives.
Significantly, since mobile technology came into use the BSNL as well as private customers faced total failure of network in the city here on Tuesday.
Connectivity suddenly snapped around 10 this morning when mobile screen after dialling up several times started appearing message "No network coverage and error in connection etc.
Harried subscribers after much difficulties when approached the BSNL they found no answers. Being the public holiday no staff was able to clarify the position.
{{/usCountry}}Harried subscribers after much difficulties when approached the BSNL they found no answers. Being the public holiday no staff was able to clarify the position.
{{/usCountry}}Citizens who were in mood to celebrate the day as public holiday could not do so in wake of network jam. Suchita, a housewife said she wanted to go for outing after casting the vote with her friends but she could not contact them owing to network jam.
Rakesh Jaiswal who wife's was to be operated upon for caesarean at private nursing house faced inconveniences because of jamming of his private company mobile phones. He said it was illegal to jam the network.
He said even in sensitive elections like Parliament and Assembly, mobile network were never jammed by the administration so why this step was taken for Nagar Nigam elections.