Nestled high in the Dhauladhar foothills, Bara-Bhangal valley in the Baijnath subdivision remains one of the most inaccessible habitations in Kangra district. In the absence of a motorable road, residents continue to carry elderly people, patients and essential supplies on their shoulders along a steep mountain trail.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s visit to the valley on Saturday has rekindled hopes among villagers that their decades-old demand for road connectivity and other basic civic amenities will finally receive government attention. Sukhu is the first Congress Chief Minister to visit Bara-Bhangal. Former Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had visited the valley in 2010.
Home to nearly 48 families, Bara-Bhangal is situated around 60 km from Bir. The lack of road connectivity has made daily life extremely difficult, particularly for senior citizens, children and patients requiring urgent medical care. Transporting the sick to hospitals remains one of the biggest challenges for residents.
Elderly villagers recalled that, for decades, patients have been carried on makeshift stretchers or on the shoulders of relatives during medical emergencies. They expressed hope that the Chief Minister’s visit would expedite long-pending development projects.
According to residents, the region had witnessed gradual improvements in recent years, including electrification and access to drinking water. However, road connectivity continues to be the village’s most pressing need. They said a portion of the proposed road had already been constructed, but the final stretch leading to the village remained incomplete.
Villagers also demanded better mobile connectivity, improved healthcare facilities and reliable transport services. They said poor communication networks become a major obstacle during emergencies, especially during the monsoon season.
The village has also suffered damage from landslides and heavy rainfall in recent years. Residents said several houses remain vulnerable due to unstable slopes and sought protective measures such as slope stabilisation and the construction of retaining walls to safeguard homes and agricultural land.
Despite these hardships, the people of Bara-Bhangalhave preserved their traditional way of life. Elderly residents said they had spent most of their lives walking along narrow mountain trails and hoped that future generations would not have to endure similar hardships.
Local panchayat representatives said the Chief Minister’s visit had raised expectations that long-pending development projects, particularly the construction of a motorable road, would finally gain momentum. They said road connectivity was essential for improving education, healthcare, economic opportunities and the overall quality of life in the remote village.
