As 38-year-old with 78% locomotor disability takes new road to house, tears of joy tell a tale of struggle

Meri, a quaint colony nether the Chhadol Panchayat with astir 950 people, including women and children, sits uphill by the aged Bilaspur-Chandigarh highway. Although a roadworthy connected the colony to the main road, her location was inaccessible.

After completing Class XII successful Bilaspur, she pursued a machine course. She lives successful a moving women’s hostel of the territory medication successful Bilaspur.

“My begetter Desh Raj Sharma had submitted galore applications to the colony Panchayat, requesting a roadworthy connecting our house, but each successful vain. I besides submitted applications, but thing happened. In March 2024, I again applied to a committee headed by the Bilaspur Deputy Commissioner. I was assured of a road,” said Santosh incapable to clasp joyous tears rolling down her look arsenic she took the recently paved roadworthy to her colony house.

Bilaspur Deputy Commissioner Abid Hussain Sadiq and different officials accompanied Santosh, sitting successful a wheelchair, to her house. Santosh, however, uses crutches. The operation of the 120-metre-long and 8-foot-wide roadworthy to her location was started successful September 2024 nether the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and was completed astatine an estimated outgo of Rs 4.50 lakh connected Wednesday. The Bilaspur DC said, “The district-level committee formed nether the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 archetypal brought Santosh Kumari’s occupation to our attention. She past met maine to sermon the issue. We approved the money for the operation of the road.”

“The Block Development Officer (BDO) was directed to expedite the operation process, which was completed by the panchayat, allowing Santosh to question without hindrance. Santosh returned to her colony from the Bilaspur for the archetypal clip aft the completion of the road,” Sadiq said.

Meanwhile, the territory medication announced soon to supply an electrical scooter to Santosh to amended her mobility.

A joyous Santosh said, “I was affected by polio successful the childhood. I was calved and brought up successful a mediocre family. My begetter was a regular wager, who is mostly bedridden now. I person been applying for authorities jobs. In the meantime, I did immoderate part-time jobs to enactment my family. My 2 younger sisters and a member are married.” She is single.

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