Bandipora, Nov. 14 -- Suhail Rather

The residents of Kralpora village in north Kashmir's Bandipora district are grappling with a severe civic and connectivity crisis, with a critically damaged road, a complete absence of direct transport services, and public health hazards from dumped waste pushing the community to the brink.

For months, the nearly two-kilometre stretch of the Pazalpora-Kralpora road has been all but impassable, leaving the village virtually marooned and forcing its inhabitants, including the elderly, patients, and schoolchildren, to undertake an arduous 30-minute trek just to reach the nearest motorable point.

The core of the issue lies in the withdrawal of passenger vehicles, including Tata Magic and Sumo services, w...