Airtel, Jio, BSNL, Vi Ordered to Enable Intra-Circle Roaming in Jammu & Kashmir Amid Network Collapse

The Centre has directed Airtel, Jio, BSNL, and Vi to activate Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) in Jammu & Kashmir until September 2, 2025, after heavy rains and landslides disrupted telecom services across the Union Territory.

Centre Steps In After Network Collapse in J&K

In response to the severe communication crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Government has instructed all telecom operators — Airtel, Jio, BSNL, and Vi — to immediately enable Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) across the Union Territory.

The directive comes after four days of relentless rainfall triggered widespread flooding and multiple landslides, causing extensive damage to optical fibers and leading to a major breakdown of telecom services in the region.

According to the order issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) disaster management unit, the ICR facility must remain active until 11:59 pm on September 2, 2025, or until further notice.

Official Order Highlights

The DoT order, issued under Clause 29.6 of the Unified License and the SOP 2020 for disaster response, stated:

“In view of the prevailing situation due to heavy rainfall and multiple landslides in Jammu and Kashmir, all telecom service providers are hereby instructed to activate the intra-circle roaming facility for the J-K Union Territory with immediate effect till 23:59 hours of September 2, or until further instructions, whichever is earlier.”

The government further clarified that the facility should be extended to all visitors in Jammu & Kashmir as well, ensuring seamless connectivity during this critical period.

Why ICR Facility Matters in Disasters

The Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) arrangement allows users to latch onto any available network when their own operator’s signal is weak or unavailable.

For instance, a Jio customer facing network outages can automatically connect to the nearest Airtel, BSNL, or Vi tower, ensuring that essential services like emergency calls, rescue coordination, and communication with family members remain uninterrupted.

Telecom experts highlight that ICR is often a lifeline during natural disasters, enabling continuity of services when infrastructure is partially damaged.

Current Ground Situation in Jammu & Kashmir

• Network blackouts have been reported across large parts of the Jammu division due to fiber cuts and damaged telecom towers.
• Emergency services and relief efforts have been hindered because of poor connectivity.
• Panic among residents increased as many were left unable to contact family members or access online updates during the disaster.
• Telecom operators have deployed technical teams and field engineers to restore damaged lines and ensure that full services resume at the earliest.

Officials confirmed that while repairs are ongoing, the temporary ICR solution is expected to provide immediate relief to lakhs of mobile users stranded without reliable connectivity.

Looking Ahead

Authorities emphasized that telecom resilience is crucial in disaster-prone regions like J&K and that more robust disaster-proof telecom infrastructure may be needed to avoid repeated blackouts.

Meanwhile, citizens are urged to conserve mobile data and battery usage while the networks operate under ICR, as high demand can cause congestion.