Students risk lives crossing river on logs in Shopian, belying development claims
Srinagar : Exposing the hollowness of the Modi government’s much-touted “development and normalcy” narrative in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, residents along the Rambiara river in south Kashmir’s Shopian district say children are forced to risk their lives daily due to the absence of a bridge near Aliyalpora.
According to Kashmir Media Service, dozens of schoolchildren from Devpora, Nagbal, and Digam villages cross the river on two narrow wooden logs to reach schools in Shopian town.
Locals call the makeshift arrangement unsafe and unreliable, especially when the river swells suddenly during rain or snowmelt. “A few days ago, our timely intervention saved two schoolchildren from drowning,” said Mohammad Shafi, a resident, pointing to the turbulent waters. “There is always a risk of slipping and being swept away by the strong current,” added Abdul Hamid, another local.
Despite years of appeals, authorities have failed to build even a temporary footbridge, let alone a concrete one. “We want the authorities to at least construct a temporary diversion until a proper bridge is built,” Hamid said.
Residents say the demand has remained pending for years, isolating communities and endangering lives. The crisis is also hitting education.
The situation belies New Delhi’s repeated claims of “unprecedented development” in IIOJK post-August 2019. While the Modi government showcases highways and tunnels, basic infrastructure like bridges for schoolchildren remains missing in Shopian, revealing that ground realities are far from the propaganda of progress.
Locals say the only “development” visible is the expansion of military camps and surveillance, not schools, bridges, or safety for their children.
