DEWAL: The harsh reality of life without basic connectivity came to light in the remote village of Airtha in the Dewal block of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Thursday.
In a distressing incident, local residents were forced to carry a sick woman, Himanti Devi, on a makeshift stretcher (Dandi) for five kilometres across difficult hilly terrain to reach the nearest medical facility.
Himanti Devi, the wife of Khadak Ram, required urgent medical attention. However, the absence of a motorable road meant that fellow villagers had to carry her on foot along dangerous mountain paths to the Primary Health Center (PHC) in Dewal. After providing initial treatment, doctors referred her to a higher medical centre, highlighting the fragile state of healthcare access in the region.
The incident has once again raised concerns about a road project that has remained incomplete for years. According to local records, an eight-kilometre road project connecting Padmalla, Kanjru and Airtha was approved in 2021. However, even after four years, work on the project has not begun.
"The lack of road connectivity is a recurring nightmare for this Dalit-dominated village. We have repeatedly petitioned departmental officials to initiate construction, but our pleas have consistently fallen on deaf ears. The cost of this apathy is being paid by the sick, pregnant women, and our schoolchildren, who risk their lives every single day just to reach their classrooms," said village head Prema Devi.
Residents say the situation in Airtha reflects a wider pattern of slow development in the higher Himalayan regions. Frustrated by years of unfulfilled promises, villagers have now taken a strong stand.
Village head Prema Devi warned the administration that if road construction does not begin soon, the entire village will boycott the upcoming assembly elections.
"For the people of Airtha, the road is not merely a convenience; it is a fundamental necessity for survival, said Bishan Singh, a local villager. As the government touts its infrastructure progress, for the residents of this Chamoli hamlet, connectivity remains an unfulfilled dream.