New Delhi: All schools up to higher secondary level will open in Jammu and Kashmir on October 3, while colleges will open by or before October 9, Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations said on Monday.

The newly constituted Union Territory has been under preventive restriction following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution. The patrolling by security forces continued on Monday for the 57th consecutive day on Monday.

However, the Jammu and Kashmir Police dismissed as 'baseless propaganda' reports that the Valley has been reeling under curfew for the last 56 days since Article 370 was abrogated by Parliament.

"Reports circulated outside the state and the country that there has been an unrelenting curfew in Kashmir since August 5 are completely baseless and part of the malicious propaganda being spread by anti-national elements,” news agency IANS quoted a senior police official as saying.

Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said restrictions had spoiled livelihood of half of residents of the Kashmir Valley and slammed the central government for that.

The senior Congress leader Azad, who visited Kashmir between September 20 and September 24, and later Jammu for two days submitted a report on the situation to the apex court.

Addressing a press conference, he said people in Kashmir were facing immense difficulties because of restrictions and the economy was suffering.

(with inputs from agencies)