CDS Vipin Rawat’s wish for a 4.5 km road to his native village Sainj in Yamkeshwar, could not be fulfilled due to disputes
Prime minister Narendra Modi laying wrath at International Airport at late CDC Bipin Rawat’s coffin and Army officers n soldiers
The Uttarakhand government has not been able to fulfill the ( last) wish of the departed soul, first Chief of the Defence Staff Bipin Lakskman Singh Rawat who had asked the former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat via Ritu Khanduri, MLA, Yamkeshwar when he visited his village Sainj in Yamkeshwar, Pauri Garhwal to built a 4.5 kilometre connected road to his village, where currently his uncle is residing in a modest house.
Bipin Rawat and his wife had visited their village few years ago, in the year 2019 and had to walk a distance of about 1.5 kilometres on a steep n uneven path from the main road to reach their village.
He had also commenced the construction work of his house at Dehradun thinking that he would live at both the places i.e at Dehradun as well as at his village, Sainj after retirement.
His hearty desire was to get his village connected by a metalled road so that the villagers especially those living in plains could conveniently return back to their native village during summers or vacations.
The then chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had assured the general to fulfill his demand at the earliest but the project is still pending due to some disputes and complications, after half of the work executed but unfortunately the CDS is not with us. The former CM paying his tributes in the Uttarakhand, assembly said that the the 4.5 kilometre road could not be completed due to some legal disputes but it would be completed in the near future.
It may be recalled that when he visited his village Sainj in 2018 , after several years, the villagers and inhabitants of the adjoining villages were in a jubilant mode especially when CDS Rawat, ( then Army chief) while addressing the villagers informally said that he intends to live in his village after retirement and would be constructing a good house.
General Rawat was very much concerned after the plight of the inhabitants of Uttarakhand, especially the children, lacking educational and road facilities thus compelled to migrate to plains due to the non availability of quality education, good schools n institutions, especially medical colleges and engineering institutes.
He always discussed these issues with the then CM Trivendra Singh Rawat and had assured his village people to arrange these facilities for them as he has formally made up his mind to live in his village after retirement.
He said that he would be shuttling between his Dehradun, Noida house and village after retirement.
General Rawat was always very much concerned about plantations in his village as well as in Uttarakhand and has personally endeavoured to plant Walnut trees in the border villages in vast numbers presenting these plants to villagers encouraging them to plant Walnut trees in large numbers. According to former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat, general Rawat had visited his village again six months ago and planted a tree. He also went to his Nanihal, the village of her mother Thathi Gaon and mixed with the villagers, making all jubilant to see the CDS among them, though for few hours only.
But unfortunately his last wish for a connecting road to his village could not be fulfilled till date say people of the area, complaining about the feeble state of development in the state, even for a prominent n powerful person like him.
However, the lawmaker from Yamkeshwar and daughter of former Uttarakhand CM retired major general Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri and wife of the union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan, Ritu Khanduri said that she had acquainted the then chief minister TSR about the wish of the general for a connecting road to his village.
The project is under progress n half of the road has been constructed and the remaining work going on but delayed due to some dispute.
It may be recalled that general Rawat was born in his small village Sainj but left for Dehradun and studied in Cambrien school.
According to the census of 2011 Sainj village is situated firty three kilometers from the district headquarters with a population of 93 n 21 households.
But now majority of inhabitants have shifted to plains in search of quality education for their children, job avenues and health facilities.
General Rawat’s, father was a Lt. General a three rank general with their house in Noida. His grand father was also in Army n younger brother retired as Lt Colonel.
His wife Madhulika Singh was the daughter of the prince of Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh.
The lawmakers of Uttarakhand today on the first day of the last assembly session in Dehradun paid their tributes and condolences to the late CDS, his wife and 11 Army officers and staff members who died in the chopper crash in Neelgiri hills in Cunnoor Tamilnadu. There was a rush of lawmakers and politicians paying floral tributes on Thursday in Uttarakhand assembly secretariat.
The chief minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami while paying his tributes said : The former army chief was born and grew up in a small village of Uttarakhand reaching the highest slot in the Army due his immense valour, talent and hard work. He gave the Indian Army and national security a new direction.
His untimely demise has caused a huge blow to Uttarakhand. We will always be proud of him said the chief minister. It may be recalled that the village from which Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath belongs is also in Yamkeshwar Block of Pauri Garhwal.
Meanwhile the coffins of CDS Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Singh and eleven brave hearts arrived at International airport, draped in national tricolour with full honours where the prime minister Narendra Modi, union defence minister Rajnath Singh, union home minister Amit Shah n chiefs of the three forces paid their respectful tributes. The traumatic family members of the Army officers n soldiers who died in this chopper crash also paid their tributes with teary eyes. There was complete shocking environment around. These brave hearts will be given the final adieu tomorrow at Delhi cantt crematorium with full honours and cannon salutes.
