PUNE: Parameshwar Bhosale, an autorickshaw driver from Gandhinagar, Pimpri is happy and proud after he ferried three physically challenged people from their houses to the polling booths on Monday. For him, April 29, 2019 is one of the memorable days of his life.
Speaking to Sakal Times, Bhosale said, “Three days ago officials from Election Commission of India (ECI)contacted my brother for picking up four physically challenged persons and dropping them at the polling booths. Without a second thought, I said yes as it was a rare opportunity to serve our nation and the challenged persons. After completing all formalities with the officials, I got a list of four individuals. I was lucky to ferry Shailendra Sinha from Wakad, Nikhil Waghmare and Sameer Sheikh from Sangvi. However, when I went to pick up the fourth candidate Vijay Kamble, I came to know that he died a week ago.”
Expressing happiness, Shailendra Singh, who is an IT professional, told Sakal Times that this was a new beginning as the physically challenged were never taken into consideration while developing infrastructure. “Here the ECI made special arrangements for us. When the Booth Level Officer (BLO) contacted me, I was surprised to know that the pick-up facility is going to be made available for me and other physically challenged citizens.”
Singh said in the elections held earlier, he went to vote on his own.
All the three persons and their families were happy as this facility was made available for them.
“Actually this election was declared as accessible election, thus we made sure that it is accessible for physically handicapped people. In Chinchwad, there were six autorickshaws arranged for people with disabilities All our Booth Level Officers went to these people and asked them if they needed a vehicle for commuting. We have asked them to fill forms and those who filled forms, we provided them the commuting facilities,” an Election Commission official said.
