A heart-wrenching video from the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand has been making rounds widely on the internet. In it, girls face a very risky journey to reach their school. The video clip, shot near Munsiyari, shows children crossing a river on a rickety rope trolley, exemplifying the infrastructural hurdles children from far-flung places in India have to overcome.
In the video, the girls tug on a rope to guide the trolley across the river, something they do every day — a task that lays bare the risks they must endure. Inscribing on the scene, a man watching appears shocked saying, “2025 hai ye? (Is this really 2025?).”
The viral video has generated a lot of reactions on social networks with many users expressing indignation about the situation. Comments expressed thoughts like “This is the misfortune of the country” and the need for the government to build a bridge in that area. Since being posted the clip has racked up over 1.7 million views on Instagram.
And, this is not an isolated case. Other students in Uttarakhand are fighting similar battles. One such recent incident is of Saurabh Panwar from Tehri Garhwal who recounts his dependence on a rope trolley to get across the Song River on the way to school. Originally a quick fix more than a decade ago, these trolleys have turned into vital but treacherous lifelines for villagers.
This post was last modified on January 25, 2025 10:09 am