In a heart-wrenching incident, residents of Yamlar Bala in Rajwar, Handwara, were forced to carry a woman and her newborn on shoulders to her home after being discharged from the hospital. The 500-meter stretch of road leading to the village remained blocked due to snow, leaving no other option for the locals.
According to officials, 3.5 kilometers of the road had been cleared using snow-clearing machines. However, the final 500 meters remained inaccessible due to the narrowness of the road, making it impossible for the machinery to proceed.
Residents expressed their anger, stating that such hardships are a recurring issue every winter. “We struggle every time snow accumulates in the area. The administration must ensure better facilities for snow clearance in remote areas like ours,” a local said.
The administration acknowledged the problem and assured immediate action. “We have already cleared most of the road, and manual labor will be deployed to clear the remaining stretch. By tomorrow, the road will be fully accessible,” an official stated.
Tehsildar Basharat Ahmed confirmed to Rising Kashmir that he had taken note of the incident and instructed officials to expedite the clearance of the blocked section.
Locals urged the administration to provide better snow-clearing facilities. “We live far from Handwara town, and such situations cause immense hardship. The administration must deploy machinists in our area to address these challenges promptly,” they said.
