No road, no ambulance: The family carried the woman’s body in a palanquin for 12 kilometers to the Andhra forest. india news

A heart-wrenching scene unfolded in Chintamala village amid the hilly forests of Andhra Pradesh’s Parvathipuram Manyam district, where villagers were forced to carry the body of a woman on a makeshift stretcher – ‘dolly’ – for 12 km as there was no road to their village.

The incident, which took place under Kodama panchayat in Saluru mandal, highlighted the grim reality faced by residents in some of the most remote tribal areas of India, where basic infrastructure like roads remains a distant dream.

journey of sorrow and struggle

The deceased Judangi, 40, a resident of Chintamala, was suffering from illness for some time. His family took him to a hospital in Vizianagaram for treatment, but he died during care.

When the family tried to bring his body home, the tragedy was met with helplessness. The ambulance carrying his body could only reach Konangi, the last motorable point. Beyond that, there was only dense forest and steep, muddy ground.

With no road to rely on, relatives built a ‘doli’ – a simple carrier made of wooden sticks and clothes – and began the arduous journey to her village, carrying her body on their shoulders through rain and slippery muddy paths.

12 kilometers through forest and mud

The area between Konangi and Chintamala is covered with dense forest and rugged hills. The route is full of rocks, fallen trees and narrow dirt paths which become dangerous during monsoons.

Villagers said it took several hours to cover the distance, with the group having to stop several times to rest and regain strength. A local said, “The path was so slippery that every step felt dangerous.” “There were times we felt like we might collapse – but we had no choice. We had to bring him home.”

When the group finally reached Chintamala, exhausted and drenched, the entire village fell silent. The grief of losing someone was compounded by the humiliation of having their body taken away like this – a stark reminder of how far out of reach they are of basic development.

‘Even today we carry our dead on our shoulders’

The anger and sorrow of the villagers was clearly visible. “It’s 2025, and we still don’t have a proper road,” said an elderly man. “If someone falls ill or dies, we have to carry him on our shoulders. Even ambulances stop far away from our homes.”

Residents say this is not the first time such a tragedy has occurred due to the absence of all-weather roads. Pregnant women, the elderly and patients with serious conditions are often carried through the forest on makeshift stretchers so they can reach the nearest road or hospital – sometimes too late.

Many villagers recall incidents of patients dying en route before medical help could reach them. He said he has seen women going through labor on the roadside, he has lost people not because of illness but because there was no way to reach the hospital in time.

An appeal that has been ignored for years

Residents of neighboring villages Kodma and Konangi as well as Chintamala say they have repeatedly petitioned local authorities for road construction, but their appeals have fallen on deaf ears.

Despite repeated requests to district officials and political representatives, the promises have remained only on paper. A local school teacher complained that promises to build roads are made in every election. But once the vote is cast, there is no coming back.

Villagers say the lack of proper roads affects every aspect of their lives – from healthcare and education to employment. Even school children walk miles through rocky terrain to attend classes in the surrounding areas. During the monsoon, when rivers swell and roads become unsafe, entire villages remain cut off for days.

Infrastructure inequality in rural India

This single tragedy of Chintamala reflects a larger story – of the division of India’s sustainable infrastructure.

While cities are expanding with expressways, flyovers and metro lines, rural and tribal areas are struggling for basic road connectivity. In states like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Jharkhand, even after 75 years of independence, dozens of villages can be reached on foot.

For residents of such areas, road connectivity is not just a development statistic – it is a matter of survival. Without roads, healthcare, education and economic opportunities remain inaccessible, leaving communities trapped in a cycle of hardship.

When development does not reach the mountains

Officials often cite difficult terrain, heavy monsoons and environmental restrictions for delays in building roads in forested or tribal areas. But for those who live there, the excuses have long since ended.

Villagers argue that if mining projects and large-scale deforestation can provide ways to navigate these areas, it should not be impossible for villagers to build a simple road.

The pain of the people of Chintamala is personal, but their plea is universal: development should not stop where roads end. Until that happens, stories like Judangi’s will continue to resonate from forgotten corners of India – of loss, resilience and the unfulfilled promise of equal access for all.