Lingering road blockages across Himachal Pradesh continue to exact a heavy toll on rural communities weeks after the withdrawal of seasonal showers. In a harrowing incident from Sirmaur district, an unpassable hill track compelled village residents to improvise a makeshift pole carrier to transport the remains of an elderly woman across several kilometers of treacherous terrain. The lack of basic motor access left the bereaved family with no alternative but to shoulder the body across an unpaved stretch so that final rites could take place at their native village.
Elderly Resident Passed Away During Treatment
Eighty-year-old Perma Devi, a resident of Tina Gularwala village within the Ghageda panchayat of the Dhartidhar belt in Nahan sub-division, had been dealing with prolonged health complications. When her physical condition took a sharp turn for the worse late on Saturday night, relatives rushed her to medical facilities in Nahan. Due to the severity of her ailments, doctors transferred her to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh. Despite medical intervention, she breathed her last early Sunday morning at around four o'clock.
Six Kilometers Carried Across Rocks and Broken Slopes
Following her demise, family members arranged road transit from the hospital back toward their home region. The vehicle managed to navigate the primary arterial link connecting Dhartidhar and Rama Ghageda, but was halted upon reaching the approach route to Tina Gularwala, which remained shuttered by debris and erosion. Realizing that vehicular movement was entirely cut off, local villagers tied the body securely to a sturdy pole. Working in relays, they carried the burden over roughly six kilometers of uneven, rocky ground until they finally entered the village, subsequently proceeding to the local cremation site for the last rites.
Road Shut Since Onset of Seasonal Rains
Community members pointed out that the rural stretch has been out of service ever since torrential downpours arrived earlier in the season. Monsoon weather commenced over the state on June 30 and officially withdrew on October 3. Even though overall precipitation across the state remained below normal levels throughout this cycle, administrative efforts have failed to clear the passage and restore normal vehicular transit for the hamlet.
Link Road Built in 2014 Remains Vital for Hamlet
According to village accounts, the approximately eight-kilometer Tina Gularwala road was constructed in 2014, with its formal inauguration conducted by Rajiv Bindal, who served as the local MLA for Nahan at the time. This branch road provides crucial connectivity, leading past Jalmusa and Kolar to tie into the Paonta Sahib-Kala Amb national highway adjacent to the Katasan temple. With this thoroughfare remaining unpassable, everyday logistics and medical emergencies continue to pose severe hardships for residents across the valley.
