Kupwara, Dec 19 (KNS): The three small areas, Tangdar, Keran and Machil located on the Line of Control in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district look at this winter with a mix of disillusion, hope and also fear of cut-off, as the roads leading to these three areas get closed every year in winters due to heavy snowfall.
The three areas lose road connectivity after every heavy snowfall in winters, causing price rise in essential commodities, untimely medical emergencies and many students fear absence in exams.
To counter the price rise during the harsh conditions, residents start preparing in advance, as they store ration, firewood, pulses and other eatables to pass the winter peacefully, but to health emergencies, exams of their wards, they pin their hopes with the administration and the Army.
As these areas are scattered and settled at high altitudes, facing immense hardships during winters in form of connectivity, electricity and health emergency, people also lose daily earnings due to unavailability of work around.
Tangdar is a division, while Keran and Machil are Tehsils, falling approximately 50 Km away from the district headquarter. Over the past few years the areas have seen slight progress in infrastructure development, also the administration is keenly working on to improve road connectivity to ease the hardships of the local population.
The residents of Karnah have been demanding construction of a tunnel at the Sadhna Pass on Kupwara-Tangdhar road to ensure safe passage during winters and connectivity with the rest of the world, but so far the government is unmoved to meet the demand.
The local residents say during heavy snowfall, the road leading to Kupwara gets blocked for days together, causing immense trouble to them.
"It’s difficult to describe the situation when the road gets blocked here due to snowfall and how much trouble people are facing. Sick people and pregnant women are the most affected,” they said.
"We are hopeful that roads will remain open in these areas this winter. The government has to pay more attention to these areas keeping in mind the difficulties faced by the people here," said a local resident.
He said besides making all weather road connectivity, the administration has to also improve the infrastructure of health centres and other sectors there.
“Earlier, our areas used to remain cut-off for months and weeks but over the past few years, development of roads, electricity and educational institutions have seen some progress, but government has to accelerate and ensure zero inconvenience to the people here during winters,” he added.
The locals also pin their hopes to army, as they believe army provides all possible assistance whenever any emergency arises in these areas.
The administration is now also providing weekly helicopter service at subsidised rates to far-flung areas of Kupwara, which gives them a ray of hope to remain connected with the rest of the world and face minimal exigencies and inconveniences, also issuing weather advisories during the inclement.
Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Dr Doifode Sagar Dattatray, talking to KNS, said that whenever there is heavy snowfall, their efforts remain in place to restore the traffic in shortest possible time; besides district administration is providing helicopter service to meet any emergency.
"So far there has been no major snowfall, but we are prepared and are pressing more machinery to ensure traffic ply normally this winter," he added.(KNS)