Jaipur internet shutdown for encroachment drive: 34 police zones affected
Synopsis
Jaipur's administration shut down mobile internet across 34 police jurisdictions ahead of a JDA drive to widen a 1.5-km road choked to a third of its sanctioned width. Five religious structures are in the demolition path — and with 134 encroachments already cleared in May, Monday's operation signals the administration is pressing ahead regardless of community sensitivities.
Key Takeaways
Jaipur Divisional Commissioner V.
Sarwan Kumar ordered internet suspension across 34 police station areas from midnight 8 June to midnight 9 June 2025 .
The shutdown covers 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G mobile data, bulk SMS, and platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, and X .
The JDA is widening a 1.5-km stretch from Nandpuri Underpass to Jagatpura to its sanctioned 80-foot width; several stretches currently measure only 25–30 feet .
Five religious structures within the road's right-of-way are scheduled for removal on Monday.
134 encroachments were cleared on the same route on 22 May ; Monday's drive follows expiry of a voluntary relocation deadline.
Additional police from Jaipur, Kota, and Bharatpur ranges have been deployed; the Walled City is under heightened security.
The Jaipur district administration suspended mobile internet and SMS services across 34 police station jurisdictions in Rajasthan's capital from midnight on Sunday, 8 June, ahead of a major encroachment removal drive by the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) on Monday. Jaipur Divisional Commissioner V. Sarwan Kumar issued the shutdown order as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of rumours and inflammatory content that could disturb public order.
Scope of the Internet Shutdown
The suspension covers 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G mobile data services, bulk SMS, and internet-based messaging platforms from midnight Sunday to midnight Monday. Access to social media applications — including WhatsApp, Facebook, and X — has been restricted throughout the shutdown window. Essential government and emergency services remain exempt under applicable regulations.
The order extends across the Jaipur Police Commissionerate and adjoining district areas. In Jaipur North, affected jurisdictions include Ramganj, Galta Gate, Manak Chowk, Subhash Chowk, Amer, Brahmapuri, Nahargarh, Kotwali, Jalupura, Sanjay Circle, Shastri Nagar, Bhattabasti, Vidyadhar Nagar, and Jaisinghpura Khor. In Jaipur East, the shutdown covers Bassi, Kanota, Tunga, Adarsh Nagar, Transport Nagar, Jawahar Nagar, Jamdoli, SMS Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, Lalkothi, Motidungri, Airport, Malviya Nagar, Jawahar Circle, Bajaj Nagar, Kho-Nagorian, Sanganer, Pratap Nagar, Ramnagariya, and Malpura Gate.
The Encroachment Drive: What the JDA Plans
The JDA's road-widening campaign targets a 1.5-kilometre stretch running parallel to the railway line from the Nandpuri Underpass in Jagatpura. Revenue records show the road's sanctioned width is 80 feet, but several stretches currently measure only 25–30 feet due to encroachments — a reduction of more than half.
Monday's drive includes the removal of five religious structures located within the road's right-of-way. According to Anand Sharma, Deputy Inspector General of the JDA Vigilance Branch, 134 encroachments along the same route were cleared on 22 May. Management committees and individuals associated with the affected religious structures were subsequently given time to voluntarily relocate them; that deadline has now passed.
Security Deployment and Background
Additional police forces have been requisitioned from the Jaipur, Kota, and Bharatpur ranges to support the operation. Personnel have already been deployed at sensitive locations, and cyber teams have been activated to monitor social media activity. Security has been tightened in sensitive areas, including the Walled City.
Officials warned that strict legal action will be taken against anyone found spreading rumours or content that disturbs public order. The administration has appealed to citizens to maintain peace and communal harmony and to avoid sharing unverified information.
Impact on Residents and Connectivity
The stretch passes through six major residential colonies, and the widening project is expected to benefit residents of more than 50 nearby colonies, including Malviya Nagar and other rapidly developing areas. Officials maintain the project will significantly ease traffic congestion on Hare Krishna Marg and improve connectivity between Nandpuri and Jagatpura. This is the second phase of what is shaping up to be a sustained JDA push against road encroachments in the city's southern corridor.
Point of View
And Jaipur's order fits the pattern precisely — broad geographic coverage, open-ended 'law and order' justification, and minimal public notice. The harder question is whether blanket shutdowns across 34 police jurisdictions are proportionate when the actual drive covers a 1.5-km stretch. The inclusion of five religious structures in the demolition list is the real flashpoint: the administration has framed this as a traffic-improvement project, but the optics of state machinery removing places of worship — even those encroaching on public land — carry a weight that road-widening rationale alone cannot fully neutralise. The fact that cyber teams have been activated alongside physical deployment suggests officials are acutely aware of that risk.
NationPress
27 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has internet been suspended in Jaipur on 8 June 2025?
The Jaipur district administration suspended mobile internet services as a precautionary measure ahead of a JDA encroachment removal drive on Monday. Officials cited the risk of rumours and inflammatory content circulating on social media that could disturb public order.
Which areas of Jaipur are affected by the internet shutdown?
The shutdown covers 34 police station jurisdictions across Jaipur North and Jaipur East, including areas such as Ramganj, Galta Gate, Malviya Nagar, Sanganer, and Bassi. It extends across the Jaipur Police Commissionerate and adjoining district areas.
What is the JDA encroachment drive about?
The Jaipur Development Authority is widening a 1.5-km road from the Nandpuri Underpass in Jagatpura to its sanctioned width of 80 feet. Several stretches currently measure only 25–30 feet due to encroachments, and the drive includes removal of five religious structures within the road's right-of-way.
Have encroachments been removed on this route before?
Yes. According to JDA Vigilance Branch DIG Anand Sharma, 134 encroachments were cleared along the same route on 22 May 2025. Affected parties were then given time to voluntarily relocate; Monday's drive follows the expiry of that deadline.
Who will benefit from the road-widening project?
Officials say the widened road will ease traffic congestion on Hare Krishna Marg and improve connectivity between Nandpuri and Jagatpura. The project is expected to benefit residents of more than 50 nearby colonies, including Malviya Nagar and other developing residential areas.
