The Kashmir-style Banihal cyber oasis train is packed daily as hours of people travel to the disputed area where the internet has been cut down for five months.
Six Internet cafes are in the mountain town of under 4,000, and the Indian government is booming due to the security crackdown.
“The speed is extremely slow,” admitted Irfan, manager of one of the cafes where customers pay up to 3,000 rupees an hour to link their device to the broadband snails-pace.
“There are numerous Cashmiris visiting every day, primarily students and income tax professionals,” said Irfan, who gave one name only.
At the beginning of August New Delhi suddenly shifted into the semi-autonomous position of kashmir, shut down communications and sent tens of thousands of extra troops into the already militarised zones in the world.
The internet is still down, but phone calls and very small text messages can now be made.
The off-line movement has harmed the economy and has stopped people from paying public bills, requesting or simply sending a message to the family outside the affected area.
Some of the Kashmiris make excursions from the regional capital of Srinagar to New Delhi and Jammu City for eight hours.
