Nearly a month has passed since Kashmir was brought under an unprecedented security clampdown. It is to the credit of the state and central administration which have handled the situation in the aftermath of the abrogation of the Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and the division of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories on August 5 with caution. Not a single loss of life due to firearm injuries by security forces has been reported during the past three weeks of heightened tensions and sporadic incidents of clashes between security forces and civilian demonstrators. This speaks for itself about the coordination of various security agencies and civil administration. During this period of crisis, it has been ensured that ordinary people are not subject to any inconvenience, especially when it comes to the supply of essentials, medicines and fuel. Nevertheless, the situation continues to remain fragile. There is no room for complacency as the situation can go out of hand. However, unease is building up among people who have remained confined to their homes since J&K’s special status was abrogated. It is time the state administration seriously considers removing security checkpoints permanently from areas which have remained peaceful in these tense days. Excessive presence of police and paramilitary forces lends an air of uncertainty and fear to the prevailing situation. Shopkeepers and other businesses refuse to open their establishments because if a miscreant targets the troopers on the ground, it is not difficult to guess who the collateral is going to be in such a situation. Presence of forces also discourages people from coming out of their homes and compels parents to detain their kids at home instead of allowing them to attend classes at their respective educational institutions. Given the situation in uptown areas such as Sanat Nagar and Jawahar Nagar, people are clearly in no mood for any disturbance and they want to carry on with their lives. Situation has considerably improved especially in uptown areas of Srinagar but it is unfortunate that the landlines of media offices are yet to be restored. Journalists are objectively reporting the ground situation in the most hostile atmosphere. The authorities should not become an impediment in their duties. While it is debatable whether the situation is conducive for ending the communication blockade in Kashmir, the situation is certainly not so volatile to deny journalists access to information. The suspension of internet has impeded the job of media badly. It is time these curbs are put to an end by either restoring the broadband connections of media offices or by giving journalists enough space and resources so that they can perform their duties without hindrance. This will also shut all the foul mouths.