Udhampur/Bhaderwah, Oct 5: Residents of Bant village in Udhampur district, Jammu and Kashmir, are facing severe hardships after a key bridge was washed away during recent heavy rains. Visuals from the village show locals carrying an auto rickshaw on their shoulders to cross the river, highlighting the lack of transportation and urgent infrastructure support.
Des Raj, a local resident, said the bridge, which had stood for nearly a decade, was destroyed by the heavy downpour. “After almost 10 years, this bridge was washed away due to heavy rains. We approached every department, the DC, and even appealed to the MLA, but no one listened. The children and sick people are facing the most difficulties… We have no means of transportation. It takes four hours on foot to reach Samaroli from here,” he said, appealing to the government to intervene.
Another resident described the risks faced daily by villagers. “School children, sick people, everyone has to be carried across the river. It’s a very deep river. No department has helped us at all. It’s scary to cross, but what else can we do?” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bhaderwah region has been hit by multiple crises, including cloudbursts, flash floods, and recent militant attacks, which have severely impacted the local tourism industry. Tourism is a lifeline for many families in the area, but the combination of natural disasters and security concerns has left popular tourist spots deserted.
Yasir, a resident dependent on tourism for his livelihood, said, “I’ve been working in tourism for the last 8–10 years, but I’ve never seen such conditions. In the past two years, the situation has been dire. After the Pahalgam attack, there were zero tourists for over two months. Later, only 30 percent of expected tourists arrived during the summer. Cloudbursts and flash floods in Kishtwar have further discouraged visitors. No one wants to come here anymore.”
Locals are urging government intervention to revive tourism. Yasir added, “We don’t want government jobs. The issue of tourism must be raised in the Assembly. I request the CO to organise festivals here that attract people and bring life back to Bhaderwah.”
With villages like Bant struggling to cross rivers and Bhaderwah’s tourism sector facing unprecedented challenges, residents say immediate government action is crucial. The twin crises of infrastructure collapse and declining tourism have left local communities vulnerable, emphasizing the urgent need for both relief measures and long-term development initiatives. (Agencies)
