North Kashmir’s Tribal Belt Connected for the First Time; MLA Fayaz Mir Inaugurates Landmark PMGSY Roads

By Shahid Peer | CRI

Kupwara: Ninety-year-old Mohammad Yousuf, a resident of Narikoot Bandwali, could not hold back his tears as he watched the first-ever road being constructed in his village. Overwhelmed with emotion, he said he had spent his entire life waiting for this day. “I never thought I would see a road reaching my home before I die. May Allah bless Fayaz Sahib,” he said, praying for MLA Kupwara Mir Mohammad Fayaz, whose efforts led to the approval of the long-pending project.

In a major infrastructural push for the far-flung tribals of North Kashmir, MLA Kupwara Mir Mohammad Fayaz today inaugurated two key road projects under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). The newly sanctioned roads will, for the first time, connect the remote tribal habitations of Narikoot Bandwali and Jabad Moori, which remained disconnected for decades.

Local residents called the move historic, saying that the absence of road connectivity had kept them isolated from basic services, government schemes, and emergency support. They expressed deep gratitude to the MLA for fulfilling a demand that had been pending for generations.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior officers including the Executive Engineer PMGSY Division Kupwara, Naib Tehsildar Kalaroos, AEE PMGSY Sub-Division Kupwara, AEE PMGSY Sub-Division Lolab, and officials from concerned departments.

Speaking to CRI, local resident Lal Din Khatana said the project had brought newfound hope to families living in these tribal pockets. “Our elders died waiting for this road. Today we feel our suffering has finally been acknowledged,” he said.

Women in the area, who bore the harshest brunt of the lack of connectivity, also described their struggles. Noor Jahan, a resident of Narikoot Bandwali, said:

“Women suffered the most. During pregnancy, we used to walk for hours or carry patients on a wooden stretcher through snow and jungle paths. Many lives were put in danger.”

She added that the absence of a motorable road forced girls to discontinue their education early. “Most girls left school after 8th class. The long walk, fear of wild animals, and unsafe routes discouraged parents. With this road, we hope our daughters can continue studying without fear.”

MLA Fayaz Mir told CRI that fulfilling this decades-old demand was a priority. He also shared that work on a BSNL mobile tower is currently underway to improve communication services in these remote villages. Additionally, a ₹12 crore power connectivity project has been tendered and allotted, with construction expected to begin soon.

With road, telecom, and power projects moving forward, residents believe that these developmental steps will transform daily life, improve mobility, and open new pathways for education, healthcare access, and livelihood opportunities in these tribal villages of Kupwara district.