RANCHI: The absence of a motorable road compelled Jharkhand villagers to carry a 55-year-old ailing woman on a cot for two kilometres to reach the main road in Saraikela-Kharsawan District on Sunday.
According to reports, 55-year-old Bazar Devi, a resident of Turu tola of Gengerda village, under Chandil Block, had been suffering from illness for the past few days.
Her condition deteriorated on Sunday, prompting urgent efforts to transfer her for medical treatment.
However, the absence of a proper road connecting the village made it impossible for an ambulance or any vehicle to reach the area.
In the face of these challenges, family members and villagers converted a cot into a makeshift stretcher and carried her on their shoulders for nearly two kilometres through rough and uneven terrain to ensure she could receive medical care.
After an arduous struggle, the villagers finally managed to transport the patient to the main road at Matkomtorang.
From there, a private vehicle was arranged to take her to the MGM Hospital in Jamshedpur for medical treatment.
Villagers informed that the situation becomes even worse during the monsoon season, when even walking on foot becomes an extremely arduous task.
They have been demanding the construction of a road for years, yet every time they received nothing but assurances.
“Due to the unpaved and rugged nature of the roads, no vehicles—including ambulances—can reach Gangrada village. As a result, pregnant women, in particular, are forced to put their lives at risk,” said a villager, requesting anonymity.
"Due to the lack of a road, critically ill patients have frequently been unable to reach the hospital on time, often putting their lives at risk," he added.
The villager further added that even 25 years after the formation of Jharkhand, patients are still compelled to be carried to hospitals on cots—a consequence of the Health Department's dysfunctional system.
"Despite demands spanning several years, the construction of a paved road connecting the village remains unfulfilled," he said.
The villagers also informed that the Sub-Health Centre in Hesakocha Panchayat has remained incomplete for years.
Officials, admitting the fact that people have to face problems due to the lack of a motorable road on the stretch, informed that the approval for the construction of the road has been granted and will be ready very soon.
“Government has already granted approval for the construction of the road, and construction work has already been started,” said Chandil Block Development Officer Taleshwar Ravidas.