Andhra Pradesh: Poor road connectivity in remote tribal villages across Andhra Pradesh continues to cause serious hardships for residents. The situation becomes particularly alarming during medical emergencies, when patients have to be carried for several kilometres through hills, rocky paths and streams to reach hospitals. A recent incident in Pattapudungada village of S.Kota mandal in Vizianagaram district has once again highlighted the difficulties faced by tribal communities.
Janni Sukuramma, a resident of Pattapudungada village under Dharaparthi panchayat, was forced to carry her 12-year-old daughter, Sampoorna, on her shoulders for nearly seven kilometres after the girl fell ill. Despite receiving initial treatment locally, her condition did not improve. With no proper road connecting the village, Sukuramma carried her daughter through hilly and rocky terrain to Dabbagunta village. From there, they hired an auto-rickshaw to reach a private hospital in S.Kota. After treatment, she had to carry the girl back to their hilltop village.
According to reports, approval had earlier been granted for constructing a 6.5-kilometre road connecting Pattapudungada village under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). However, the road project remains incomplete, leaving villagers without proper transport facilities. Recent heavy rains have further damaged the existing pathways, making travel even more difficult.
Local residents expressed disappointment, saying that such hardships could have been avoided if the promise made by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan to improve road connectivity in tribal villages had been implemented.
Repeated Medical Emergencies Highlight Tribal Road Connectivity Problems
Pattapudungada is not the only tribal village facing such difficulties. Several incidents reported from different parts of Andhra Pradesh indicate how the absence of proper roads is affecting access to emergency healthcare.
In Talaripadu village of Anantagiri mandal in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, Killo Neelima experienced labour pains. With no road access to the village, local residents carried her on a stretcher for nearly three kilometres to reach Boddapadu village.
Similarly, 40-year-old Majji Sannamma from Kuridi village in S.Kota mandal, Vizianagaram district, fell seriously ill. As vehicles could not reach the village, her family members carried her on a makeshift stretcher for approximately seven kilometres to take her to a hospital.
In another incident, Korra Damini from Tadakapalli village in Gudem Kotha Veedhi mandal experienced labour pains during the night. The following day, villagers carried her for nearly eight kilometres through hills, rocky paths and streams before reaching a point where an ambulance could transport her to Chintapalli Hospital.
Lack of Timely Medical Assistance Raises Concerns
The situation has also raised concerns about maternal healthcare in remote tribal areas. Twenty-eight-year-old Pangi Lavanya from Chinna Gangavaram village in Gudem Kotha Veedhi mandal reportedly died after childbirth due to the lack of timely medical assistance.
Residents say a temporary bridge near Gangavaram was washed away by heavy rains, disrupting connectivity to more than 15 tribal villages. The damage has made access to hospitals and other essential services increasingly difficult.
Tribal Communities Demand Immediate Road and Healthcare Facilities
Although the Andhra Pradesh government has repeatedly stated that it is giving priority to infrastructure development in tribal areas, conditions on the ground continue to raise questions about the implementation of these promises.
Incomplete road projects, the absence of permanent bridges and inadequate healthcare facilities are putting the lives of tribal residents at risk. During medical emergencies, even reaching the nearest motorable road becomes a major challenge.
Tribal communities are demanding the immediate completion of pending road construction works, permanent bridges across streams, better ambulance services and accessible healthcare facilities near remote villages.
They stress that government promises should translate into visible improvements on the ground. Every tribal village must have all-weather road connectivity so that residents can access hospitals, education, transportation and other essential services without risking their lives.
