Ahmed Fayyaz
From city streets to remote villages, closing the rural-urban gap is key to unlocking the region’s true potential and fostering shared prosperity for all.
In the heart of Kashmir, a tale of two realities unfolds. One is etched in the bustling streets of Srinagar, with its widening roads, burgeoning shopping complexes, and the constant hum of urban life. The other is written into the serene, rugged landscapes of its villages, where the beauty of nature often masks a stark truth: a profound infrastructure deficit that keeps rural communities disconnected, not just from cities, but from opportunities, growth, and a sense of equitable development.
For the common Kashmiri, bridging this rural-urban chasm is not merely a policy objective, it is the fundamental key to unlocking the region’s true potential and fostering lasting prosperity. The gap is most acutely felt in the very arteries that connect a society: transportation. While city centres benefit from continuous road maintenance and new projects, many rural roads remain narrow, poorly paved, and treacherously susceptible to weather. A single landslide or heavy snowfall can sever a village’s link to the outside world for days, isolating residents. This is not just an inconvenience, it is a critical barrier. Farmers cannot get their perishable produce to urban markets in time, students struggle with arduous commutes to colleges, and a medical emergency becomes a race against time on impassable paths.
The digital divide is equally stark. In an age where the world is connected by fibre optics, numerous villages still grapple with erratic, low-speed internet or no connectivity at all. This digital isolation excludes rural youth from the global knowledge economy, hinders access to online education, and prevents artisans from tapping into e-commerce platforms to sell their exquisite handicrafts to a wider audience.
Beyond connectivity, the disparity extends to basic human necessities. Access to clean, potable water remains a daily challenge for many households, with women and children often bearing the burden of fetching it from distant sources. While urban areas have seen significant improvements in healthcare infrastructure, rural communities frequently rely on poorly equipped Primary Health Centres (PHCs). The absence of specialised doctors and advanced medical equipment means that for even moderate health issues, families must undertake the costly and stressful journey to a city hospital.
Similarly, the state of education infrastructure in villages often discourages learning. Dilapidated school buildings with inadequate heating for harsh winters, a lack of science labs, and limited sports facilities stand in sharp contrast to the better-equipped institutions in towns. This inevitably creates an uneven playing field, where a child’s potential is limited by their postal code.
From the perspective of the common Kashmiri, addressing these issues requires a paradigm shift, from top-down planning to a collaborative, grassroots-driven approach. The first and most resonant suggestion is to empower local governance. Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha has emphasised the need to bridge the rural and urban divide in Jammu and Kashmir, focusing on inclusive growth and social equity. At a recent event, he highlighted the administration’s efforts over four years and urged support from various sectors for socio-economic transformation. He emphasised the significance of inclusive growth and social equity, highlighting the administration’s efforts over the past four and a half years to develop social sectors alongside economic growth.
Lt. Governor Sinha called for collective efforts from civil society, including women’s groups and other leaders, to bring about socio-economic transformation. Panchayats and local community leaders possess an intimate understanding of their area’s specific needs and challenges. Instead of imposing standardised projects, the government should actively involve these local bodies in the planning and prioritisation of infrastructure work. A bridge over a local stream might be a higher priority for a village than a wider road five kilometres away. When communities have a voice, the solutions become more relevant and sustainable.
Secondly, there is a pressing need to move beyond mere construction to ensuring reliability and resilience. Building a road is futile if it washes away in the next spring melt. Infrastructure projects in Kashmir’s challenging terrain must employ high-quality, weather-resistant materials and engineering techniques suited for the region. Furthermore, the government must institute a robust, decentralised maintenance regime. A dedicated fund and quick-response local teams for the upkeep of roads, water supply schemes, and public buildings would ensure that assets do not fall into disrepair shortly after being inaugurated.
Thirdly, the government must treat digital connectivity not as a luxury, but as a fundamental utility on par with electricity and water. A concerted effort to expand high-speed broadband and mobile networks to the last village is imperative. This digital bridge can be the most powerful tool for rural empowerment. It can enable telemedicine, allowing doctors in Srinagar to consult with patients in remote health centres. It can facilitate online learning, giving students access to the same educational resources as their urban counterparts. For the renowned Kashmiri artisan, it can open a direct window to global markets, transforming their craft into a sustainable enterprise.
Finally, infrastructure development must be intrinsically linked to economic opportunity. Building a road to a village should be part of a larger plan that includes establishing cold storage facilities for agricultural produce, creating common facility centres for handicrafts and handlooms, and promoting rural tourism. By developing infrastructure that directly supports local economies, the government can stem the tide of forced migration to cities, preserve cultural heritage, and create a more balanced regional development model.
For Kashmir to truly flourish, its development narrative must be inclusive. The goal is not to dim the lights of its urban centres but to ensure the lamps in its villages burn just as bright. Bridging the rural-urban infrastructure gap is an investment in justice, dignity, and unity. It is about ensuring that a farmer in Shopian has the same chance to thrive as a shopkeeper in Srinagar. By listening to the voices from the ground and building with them, the government can weave the diverse threads of Kashmir’s geography into a stronger, more resilient, and harmonious fabric for all its people.
The author can be reached at: afazil146@gmail.com
