Srinagar: The residents of Reshwari, a village in the Handwara area of Kupwara district in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, are enduring severe hardships and dangers due to governmental neglect, particularly concerning the lack of a safe crossing over the Mawar stream.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the village of approximately 5,000 inhabitants has repeatedly suffered due to the absence of a proper bridge, leading to several fatalities and loss of livestock. The situation worsens annually from April to July during the glacial melt when the makeshift bridge in use becomes perilously unreliable. Recent tragedies include the death of a child and a young girl whose body was never recovered after she fell into the stream.

Residents have expressed frustration over decades of unfulfilled promises for a bridge that could secure their safe passage and connectivity. Their ongoing pleas have been met with indifference by authorities, underscoring a stark discrepancy between the developmental claims made by Indian officials and the harsh realities faced by the people of Reshwari. The lack of critical infrastructure continues to pose existential threats to the villagers, highlighting a significant oversight in administrative responsibilities in the region.