Pune: Elderly Injured Man Carried 3 Kilometers in Cloth Stretcher Due to Lack of Road Access in Bhor Taluka
Bhor, 18th August 2025: In a stark illustration of the infrastructural shortcomings still affecting rural Maharashtra, a 65-year-old resident of Waghmachi hamlet in Bope village (Bhor Taluka) had to be physically carried for over three kilometers in a handmade stretcher after injuring his leg, due to the complete absence of motorable roads in the region.
The man, Appaji Ramchandra Kachare, slipped and injured his leg in his own courtyard on the evening of August 15. With no vehicle able to reach the area because of the lack of road connectivity, he had to wait overnight before any help could be arranged. The following morning, local villagers crafted a makeshift stretcher using cloth and wooden poles and transported him on foot to the main road. The journey took nearly 45 minutes through slippery and uneven terrain, after which he was taken to Pune for medical care.
Waghmachi, a remote settlement situated across a river from Bope village and about three kilometers away from Kumbale, lacks a paved road. During the monsoon, the already difficult terrain becomes nearly impassable, cutting the hamlet off from timely medical aid and other essential services. The rescue effort involved several villagers—Ramchandra Kachare, Ananta Kachare, Baban Kachare, Shivaji Gore, Anand Kachare, Dhondiba Doiphode, Kondiba Kachare, Janu Kachare, Vitthal Kachare, and Santosh Kachare—who braved the hazardous conditions to assist the injured man.
“This isn’t an isolated case,” one villager shared. “Whenever anyone falls ill—especially seniors or pregnant women—we have no choice but to carry them manually to the nearest road. Many simply suffer at home, choosing not to seek treatment due to the difficult journey.”
With a population of about 60 people, Waghmachi is largely inhabited by members of the Dhangar community. The hamlet has only a primary school up to Class 4, and for medical help, residents typically have to trek to Velhe, Nasrapur, or Bhor. A mobile health unit visits once a week post-Diwali and operates out of the Bhutonde health sub-center.
Meanwhile, in a separate update, authorities have begun releasing 1,650 cusecs of water from the Bhatghar Dam after it reached full capacity. Residents along the Nira River have been advised to stay alert due to rising water levels.
The situation faced by Bope and nearby villages like Kumbale and Chandwane, all under a shared group gram panchayat, underscores the urgent need for better infrastructure and healthcare access in Maharashtra’s hilly and remote areas.
