Sir,
“Better late than never” so goes the proverb. The saying assumes significance so far as road communication is concerned in far-flung areas. The proposed Thalela – Dehra road under PMGSY measuring 17 Kms and connecting eight villages with Thalela including Madren – Agrika – Natwas – Darori – Jhandani – Kolai – Jagota and Dehra was the only left out area devoid of road connection in entire Chiralla Block of district Doda due to certain bottlenecks. After decades long struggle for road communication, the dream came true for the people of village Darori when this beautiful hamlet got connected by road on 3rd March 2021. There was sheer excitement among the villagers discernible by their visage. It was an ecstatic moment indeed.
It would not be out of place to mention here that the salubrious environs of some of the scenic villages nestled in the mountains of Doda remained unexplored due to lack of road communication. One such beautiful hamlet known as Darori and forming part of the scheme is situated on a hillock which attracts picturesque scenery. The site captures panoramic view owing to its location.
Thanks to the then Prime Minister of India Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee who launched PMGSY, a centrally sponsored scheme in 2000 with an objective to connect all unconnected habitations in the rural areas through construction of all-weather roads thereby promoting access to economic and social infrastructure. Since then the scheme has come a long way in shaping up the remote areas. It has been of immense help to the villagers and has also brought perceptible changes in their lifestyle as a whole. The scheme has indeed received a boost under the dynamism of present Govt. with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm of affairs. PMGSY has diverse benefits. While it will generate employment avenues for the unemployed youths of villages on one hand, the scheme would give impetus to basic amenities viz. medical, water, electricity, schooling and other commodities at the doorstep of villagers on the other hand. Had the scheme not been there, many villages would still be deprived of road communication thereby aggravating miseries of villagers endlessly.
R.S. Chouhan, Sub Maj (Retd.)
Darori, Doda
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