Another Mountain Man from Maharashtra!
Here comes the story of another ‘Mountain Man’ and this inspirational man comes from Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra.
Former teacher at Gundegaon village, Rajaram Bhapkar, 84, has cut through 7 hills in the last 57 years. His aim was to make a 40 km long road. The man is seen with gratitude and respect in the village and across the region.
Rajaram is a simple man. He wears white clothes and a ‘Gandhi’ cap. “At the time of Independence, there was not even a ‘paywat’ (walking trail) connecting Gundegaon to adjoining village,” he told Times Of India.
During the time when he used to work in Kolegaon, people had to cross 3 villages to reach there.
Rajaram had requested the government authorities to build a road cutting through the 700 meter high Santosha hill. However, when the government refused, he decided to make the 7 roads himself.
57 years later, Rajaram made his dream come true with nothing but a spade & shovel. He later hired heavy duty excavator machines to speed up the work. He made 40km long, 7 kuchcha roads, linking his village to the other nearby villages, all, with the help of his retirement earnings and pension money.
The 29km long route from Kolegaon via Deulgaon became just 10 km long and was completed in 1997.
Rajaram paid everyone who assisted him to build the road. “I used to spend half my salary on their wages,” Not a single rupee from the government has been spent on the road work.”
“In 1968 not even a cycle could pass through the earlier walking trail. Now, big vehicles ply on this road,” a villager to old TOI.
News Source: Times Of India
