Uri woman carried on foot as road remains snowbound

Idrees Bukhtiyar
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26 Jan 2026

Srinagar, Jan 26: A 50-year-old woman from Rechawali area of Nambla in north Kashmir’s Uri town was forced to be carried on shoulders for several kilometres on Monday after she suffered a head stroke, as the village road remained blocked due to snow accumulation following recent snowfall in the valley. According to locals, the absence of a motorable road owing to the non-clearance of snow by the PMGSY department left residents with no option but to manually carry the patient to the nearest main road on foot to arrange transport to the hospital. The woman was first taken to Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Uri, from where she was referred to Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla. Given the seriousness of her condition, she was later shifted to SMHS Hospital Srinagar for advanced treatment. A relative accompanying the patient expressed strong resentment over what he termed the government’s failure to restore road connectivity in time. “Patients are made to suffer immensely due to a lack of basic road access. Women and elderly people are the worst affected,” he said. He added that this was not an isolated incident. “In the past, too, several pregnant women have been carried on shoulders from this area due to non-clearance of roads. Nothing seems to change despite repeated hardships,” the relative alleged. Residents of the area said that Rechawali and other adjoining villages face recurring difficulties during winter months, as snow clearance is often delayed, cutting off access to healthcare and other essential services. Meanwhile, Executive Engineer PMGSY Uri, Sajjad Hussain Shah, told Rising Kashmir that the Rechawali road is expected to be cleared on Tuesday. “Our machines were engaged in clearing other routes, including the Fatehwali area. Rechawali road will also be taken up tomorrow,” he said. The incident has once again highlighted the persistent challenges faced by residents of snowbound areas in Uri, particularly during medical emergencies, due to inadequate winter preparedness and delayed restoration of road connectivity.