A critically ill woman was safely transported across the swollen Jahalma nallah in Lahaul-Spiti district yesterday after personnel of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) carried out a swift rescue operation, enabling her to reach advanced medical care despite road connectivity being completely disrupted.
The route through Jahalma nallah had been closed after the water level rose sharply, making movement impossible. As a precautionary measure, the BRO had removed the RCC pipes laid on the temporary road as well as the girders used for pedestrian movement to ensure public safety.
The patient, Shanti Devi, a resident of Shainur village, had been undergoing treatment at the Civil Hospital in Udaipur. As her condition deteriorated, doctors referred her to the Regional Hospital in Kullu for specialised treatment. However, the flooded nallah posed a major obstacle to her evacuation.
Displaying prompt action and humanitarian commitment, BRO personnel used an LNT earthmoving machine to transport the patient across the turbulent stream. Seated safely in the machine’s bucket, Shanti Devi was taken to the opposite bank, where an ambulance had been kept ready. She was immediately shifted into the ambulance and rushed to Kullu for further treatment.
Dr Himesh Thakur of Civil Hospital, Udaipur, said the patient was suffering from a severe chest infection accompanied by acute breathing difficulties. Considering her critical condition, doctors decided to refer her to Kullu without delay.
The timely intervention by the BRO ensured that the patient could be safely evacuated despite challenging weather conditions and disrupted road access, highlighting the organisation’s crucial role during emergencies in remote hill regions.
