<p>Normal life remained affected in Kashmir for the 83rd consecutive day on Saturday as the main markets were shut and public transport was off the roads, officials said.</p>.<p>Some shops opened for a few hours early in the morning in some areas, including in the commercial hub of Lal Chowk in the city here, but downed their shutters around 11 am, they added.</p>.<p>These shops witnessed a huge rush of customers and the increased number of private vehicles led to traffic snarls at several places in the city centre and the adjoining areas, the officials said.</p>.<p>However, the main markets and other business establishments remained shut across the valley, they added.</p>.<p>Autorickshaws and a few inter-district cabs were plying in a few areas of the valley, but other modes of public transport were off the roads, the officials said.</p>.<p>Internet services -- across all platforms -- continued to be snapped across the valley since the night of 4 August -- hours before the Centre announced its decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two Union territories.</p>.<p>The internet services were snapped, along with mobile and landline telephone services. While landline services were restored gradually first, postpaid mobile services were restored only last week. Pre-paid services continue to remain barred.</p>.<p>Most of the top-level and second-rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody, while mainstream leaders, including two former chief ministers -- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti --, have either been detained or placed under house arrest.</p>.<p>Another former chief minister and the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah, has been arrested under the controversial Public Safety Act, a law enacted by his father and National Conference (NC) founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1978 when he was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. </p>
<p>Normal life remained affected in Kashmir for the 83rd consecutive day on Saturday as the main markets were shut and public transport was off the roads, officials said.</p>.<p>Some shops opened for a few hours early in the morning in some areas, including in the commercial hub of Lal Chowk in the city here, but downed their shutters around 11 am, they added.</p>.<p>These shops witnessed a huge rush of customers and the increased number of private vehicles led to traffic snarls at several places in the city centre and the adjoining areas, the officials said.</p>.<p>However, the main markets and other business establishments remained shut across the valley, they added.</p>.<p>Autorickshaws and a few inter-district cabs were plying in a few areas of the valley, but other modes of public transport were off the roads, the officials said.</p>.<p>Internet services -- across all platforms -- continued to be snapped across the valley since the night of 4 August -- hours before the Centre announced its decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into two Union territories.</p>.<p>The internet services were snapped, along with mobile and landline telephone services. While landline services were restored gradually first, postpaid mobile services were restored only last week. Pre-paid services continue to remain barred.</p>.<p>Most of the top-level and second-rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody, while mainstream leaders, including two former chief ministers -- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti --, have either been detained or placed under house arrest.</p>.<p>Another former chief minister and the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah, has been arrested under the controversial Public Safety Act, a law enacted by his father and National Conference (NC) founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1978 when he was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. </p>