After Bihar’s mountain man Dashrath Manjhi, Gyan Singh Neengwal has achieved a similar feat by carving out a 2.5 kilometre road, 5-feet in width out of a mountain single-handedly.
40-year-old Gyan Singh hails from Gumadia Khurd Falia village which is 7 kms away from Niwali area in Barwani district of Madhya Pradesh.
It was difficult to to commute on the road connecting the two areas. Villagers would have to walk long distances to fetch drinking water or to take ailing persons to a hospital. Meeting basic needs became a problem for the villagers.
To do away with such problems, Gyan Singh started cutting the mountain in 2011 to carve a road out of a mountain that would make the journey from his village to Niwali town easier.
He is also a farmer. During rains, he would switch to farming and hence would stop his construction work. However, whenever he would get time, he would start working again.
It took him three years to complete the work and in May 2014, the road was thrown open for use. Lives of 70 families living in Gumadia Khurd Falia has become far easier.
He had started off alone, but looking at his cause and determination, his two wives joined him in making the road. Soon, villagers also came forward to help Gyan Singh.
