Telephony and Internet services have been partially restored and restrictions on curfews have been eased in India-controlled Kashmir ahead of Friday prayers in the Muslim-dominated region, reports said.
Thousands of security personnel were deployed in the Kashmir valley to provide security after New Delhi withdrew Kashmir´s special status on Monday and turned it into two federal-administered areas.
Prayer will be allowed in smaller mosques across the main city of Srinagar and other towns in the region, NDTV quoted officials as saying.
However, the gates of the Jamia mosque in Srinagar have been closed, suggesting that prayer is unlikely to be held at the city´s main mosque.
Officials told the network that restrictions would be further reduced if Friday prayers were held without any problems.
Residents of the state are almost isolated from the outside world because of the suspension of contacts imposed by New Delhi during the past five days.
In his speech on Kashmir on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a new era had begun for Kashmir, defending his government´s controversial decision to end the special status of the region still under security crackdown.
Due to the restriction of telecommunications and Internet services, as well as freedom of movement in the Indian-administered territory, residents could only hear Modi´s speech on radio, one of the few means available there.
Moody indirectly referred to the security crackdown as the government is trying to contain possible protests. "I assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the current situation will improve," he said.
He said the government was trying to ensure that the people of the province, which is predominantly Muslim, could celebrate the holiday on Monday.
Moody said the abolished special measures had not benefited anyone and were being used by Pakistan to incite some to the path of terrorism.
By a presidential decree issued Monday, the Modi government abolished Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which granted the region autonomy except for foreign affairs, defense and communications.
It also prohibits non-Kashmiris and Indians from permanently residing in the region.
The state has been turned into two federally administered provinces, despite the Indian parliament´s decisions this week. Under the former special status, Kashmir elected representatives to the regional legislature.
In his speech, Modi said the federally administered state of Jammu and Kashmir will soon have elected representatives and its own legislative council. Describing the decision as a "historic" decision that will bring peace and prosperity to the troubled region, Moody said that "in any democracy, some will support, some will oppose. I welcome the opposition ... but now we must work together to transform the region."
"Kashmir will soon become the largest tourist destination in the world," Moody said. He called film companies across India to film scenic locations in Kashmir and where private companies invest in the region.
Hotels, guesthouses, private and government buildings have been converted into temporary places of detention to hold up to 400 politicians, their aides and separatist leaders.
