Opinion | Road Connectivity and Women’s Empowerment

A Human-Centered Perspective from Baramulla, Kashmir

A road may look simple, but for a woman, it can mean dignity, hope, and freedom.

Road connectivity is more than a physical structure; it is a bridge that connects people to opportunities, services, and independence. In North Kashmir, Baramulla, improved rural road networks have quietly transformed the daily lives of women and girls. These changes may not be loud or dramatic, but they are deeply meaningful. Attendance in schools has improved, access to hospitals has become easier, markets have become reachable, and mobility has become safer. The impact of these small shifts is reshaping women’s social and economic participation.

Over the past decade, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has played a central role in linking remote villages of Baramulla to nearby towns. According to PMGSY district records, more than 610 km of rural roads were constructed in Baramulla between 2015 and 2023. These roads now connect interior villages to markets, educational institutions, and healthcare centers. Enhanced access allows women to travel independently, seek services, and explore new roles in society.

The Link Between Mobility and Women’s Empowerment

Women empowerment is often spoken about in terms of rights, education, employment, and decision-making, but its foundation is movement. A woman who can move freely, safely, and conveniently is more likely to study, access healthcare, seek work, attend community events, and explore opportunities outside her village. In rural Kashmir, mobility has historically been affected by geographical barriers, weather conditions, and lack of reliable transportation.

Improved roads change how time, distance, and opportunity are understood. A journey that once took 2 hours may now take 40 minutes. A doctor who was ‘far’ becomes ‘reachable.’ A school that was ‘across the hill’ becomes ‘just down the road.’ That shift matters deeply for women, especially girls in the process of shaping their futures.

PMGSY and local road development initiatives have brought noticeable mobility improvements to areas including Wagoora, Rafiabad, Sopore outskirts, and Tangmarg. These roads are not just structures; they facilitate participation across sectors. School vans now reach previously inaccessible villages. Ambulances arrive faster during emergencies. Women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) can attend meetings regularly. Farmers transport produce to markets (mandis) on time, reducing financial loss.

Together, these changes have strengthened community confidence and expanded participation particularly for women and girls.

Before road improvement, many students in Baramulla had to walk long distances on muddy or uneven paths. Safety concerns, particularly during winter snow, often led families to restrict girls’ mobility. The arrival of new roads and the resulting access to reliable transport have fundamentally changed this dynamic, turning previous barriers into pathways for girls’ consistent school attendance.

Shazia, a 14-year-old from Rafiabad, missed nearly two months of school every winter due to unsafe paths. After the PMGSY link road was constructed, a private van began operating in her village. Her parents now confidently send her to school throughout the year, resulting in near-perfect attendance and significant improvement in her academic performance. Today, the family supports her goal of pursuing higher education, which was once unimaginable.

Healthcare is another major area of change where every single second counts. Better connectivity has reduced ambulance delays, improved emergency response, and increased access to maternal health care. According to records from the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Baramulla, the average ambulance arrival time in connected villages has been cut by more than half, reduced from 85 minutes in 2018 to just 38 minutes in 2023. This change has saved lives, especially during pregnancy-related emergencies.

Fauzia, 28, went into labour late at night in the village of Lachhipora. Earlier, ambulances took over 90 minutes to reach households due to rough tracks. But on this night, thanks to the newly paved road, the ambulance reached in just 35 minutes. This

timely access prevented complications and ensured safe delivery for both mother and child.

Other factor is market linkages and silent economic empowerment. Economic empowerment is a process that often begins with small, smooth steps along a better road. Mobility also shapes economic confidence. In Baramulla, many women work informally in handicrafts, horticulture, bakery, dry vegetables, poultry, or tailoring. When access to markets becomes easier, income becomes stable and independent.

District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) reports indicate that the number of operational women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Baramulla increased from 413 in 2018 to 698 in 2023, largely because meeting attendance and product transport became feasible through new roads.

Improved roads also enhance women’s sense of security. Well-paved streets, transportation access, and reduced isolation encourage women to travel without fear. A 2023 local youth survey revealed that 56% of women aged 18–25 in connected villages feel “safe traveling after evening hours,” compared to only 18% in non-connected areas.

Saima, 20, from Janwara Sopore, is studying nursing in Baramulla. Earlier, she had to walk two kilometers on a broken, dimly lit road after getting off her shared taxi. After the road was upgraded and solar streetlights installed, she purchased a scooty on installment. This change has allowed her to attend late clinical classes independently and without fear, significantly strengthening her autonomy.

While progress is undeniable, the empowerment process is ongoing. Several issues require continued attention and community-level cooperation. Despite new roads, traditions still stop women from traveling freely, winter road blockages remain a challenge in high-altitude areas, less female-friendly and secure public transport facilities, high transport costs for the poorest households, limited availability of safe shared mobility options, limited street lighting on interior village roads, addressing these gaps can further accelerate women’s empowerment. In Baramulla, road connectivity is much more than infrastructure now it is a pathway to opportunity, dignity, and freedom. As PMGSY and local road developments continue, women and girls are gaining the confidence to study, work, travel, and participate in society without barriers. When a girl reaches school safely, a mother accesses healthcare in time, or a woman takes her products to market independently, empowerment becomes real. These small yet powerful changes shape not just individual lives but generations of women who will dream, grow, and lead differently.

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