Rajouri, Dec 21: Even in today’s modern era, residents of the remote villages of Khawas tehsil in Rajouri district continue to live under extremely challenging conditions due to the absence of basic infrastructure such as roads, health centres, and proper transportation facilities.

The gravity of the situation came to the forefront after a video from Bana Khetra village went viral on social media, showing local residents carrying a patient on a cot on their shoulders for several kilometres to reach the nearest road and thereafter a health facility. The video has drawn widespread attention and highlighted the long-standing neglect faced by people living in this remote belt.
Local residents said that due to the absence of road connectivity, timely medical assistance remains a distant dream. In case of emergencies, villagers are forced to carry patients on cots for over ten kilometres before arranging any means of transport to a Community Health Centre. Residents of Bana Khetra, including Dev Raj, Rajinder Singh and Mohammad Shabbir, claimed that several lives have been lost over the years due to the lack of immediate medical help.
Expressing anguish, the villagers stated that despite decades since Independence, there has been little improvement in their living conditions. They alleged that political leaders have repeatedly used them as a vote bank while neglecting their basic needs after elections.
The affected residents have strongly appealed to the government to immediately start construction of a road connecting Bana Khetra with Rajot, terming it their most pressing requirement. They have also appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to personally intervene and ensure early resolution of the issue.
Meanwhile, Javed Iqbal Chaudhary, when contacted, assured that he is committed to providing basic facilities to the people. He stated that he has taken cognizance of the viral video circulating on social media and informed that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the road will be prepared shortly. He further assured that the project will be taken up for sanction and that road construction work in the said village will commence shortly, bringing much-needed relief to the residents of the area.