Uri’s Babagail residents demand bus service

Uri, Oct 5: Residents of Babagail village in the Limber area of Uri, in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, have demanded a bus service for their area.

A delegation of locals expressed their concerns, highlighting the hardships they face due to the lack of bus service.

“There is no bus service in our village. We suffer daily without it. We demand the initiation of a bus route from Baramulla to Babagail and back,” said Firdous Ahmad, a local resident.

He emphasized that patients and the elderly are the most affected.

“People in our village are very poor and cannot afford the high fares that cab drivers charge—Rs 80 per person one way from Baramulla to Babagail,” he noted.

Another resident, Farooq Ahmad, urged that bus services should also be started from cab stands in Uri, Chananwari, and Boniyar. “This would make commuting much easier for everyone,” he stated.

Ahmad mentioned that although a bus service from Baramulla to Babagail was launched a year ago, it was discontinued for unknown reasons. “Restoring this service would also benefit residents of nearby villages such as Limber, Choolan, Shahkote, and Pringal,” he said.

He added, “If mini-buses are introduced on the route, that would also work for us.”

Locals believe that Babagail has significant potential as a tourism destination. Mithwin waterfall, a popular attraction in the village, has gained attention through various vlogs showcasing its stunning beauty, becoming a hit on Instagram. Located approximately 20 kilometers from Boniyar tehsil, it lies within the serene mountains of the Limber Wildlife Sanctuary, which is also home to the markhor, the world’s largest wild goat.

“If bus service is started, it will attract more local and non-local tourists to our village, helping to generate employment for residents,” said Farhan Lone, another local.

Locals have appealed to the RTO Kashmir and the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Baramulla to address this issue as a priority.

However, no officials from the transport department were available for comment.