Life remained crippled due to strike for the 89th day onFriday in the Kashmir valley, where people are protesting scrapping of Article370 and 35 A, besides downgrading the state and dividing it into two UnionTerritories on August 5.

Meanwhile, Giresh Chandra Murmoo and R K Mathur became thefirst Lt Governors of UT of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir respectively afterthey were administered oath of office by Chief Justice, Justice Geeta Mittal onThursday.

Security forces remained on alert to foil any demonstrationor stone pelting after Friday prayers in the valley, particularly in summercapital, Srinagar.All roads leading to historic Jamia Masjid in the down townremained closed to prevent assemble of people in the worship place, strongholdof chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq.The Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMFs) remained deployed in the Jamia marketand outside the Masjid, where no prayers were held since August 5.

The internet service and pre-paid mobile network of allCellular companies, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), remainedsuspended since August 5 as a precautionary measure in the valley, badlyaffecting professionals, students, doctors and media persons. However, postpaidand landline phones are working smoothly.Railway department continued to sufferhuge losses due to suspension of train service between Baramulla in northKashmir to Banihal in Jammu region since August 5 for security reasons.  

Business and other activities remained paralysed and trafficoff the roads on Friday since August 5 in the summer capital, Srinagar andoutskirts. However, shops and business establishments again reopened thismorning after three days of total closure. Business activities resumed from0700 hrs till 1000 hrs today. Work in government offices and banks, housed inbuildings on main roads, was affected. However, in some areas banks arefunctioning in the morning for few hours before closing down again.

Transport service, including the buses of State RoadTransport Corporation (SRTC) buses, remained off the roads. Private vehiclesand three wheelers were also seen plying on different routes, particularly inthe uptown and civil lines. However, in the down town very less privatevehicles, particularly two wheelers were seen plying.

A report from Anantnag said shops and businessestablishments remained closed in this and other district and tehsilheadquarters of south Kashmir on Friday. Very less number of private vehicleswere seen plying on the roads as passenger traffic remained off the roads.

A complete shutdown also continued in south Kashmir districtof Kulgam, where vehicle of a BJP district leader was set on fire by somemiscreants in the wee hours of Friday.

Additional CPMFs remained deployed to prevent any stone peltingon Srinagar-Jammu national highway, passing through south Kashmir districts.Areport from Baramulla said that business and other activities remained crippledsince August 5 in this and other north Kashmir districts. Traffic was off theroads though some vehicles were seen plying on Srinagar-Uri highway. Additionalsecurity forces have been deployed on bridges, connecting down town with civillines in Baramulla and Sopore towns to foil any demonstration.Similar reportswere also received from central Kashmir districts of Ganderbal and Budgam.