Arushi organised ‘The 12th Car Rally for the Blind’ on Sunday. Ashok Shah, Principal Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Shobhan Choudhary, DRM Bhopal were present as the chief guests and flagged off the first vehicle which started the rally from Amer Bakery Hut, Link Road no 1, Bhopal.
Director of IGRMS SK Chaudhary and many other guests were also present. The Rally was supported by Amway, Directorate of Sports and Youth Welfare, LIC, Central Bank of India, IGRMS, MP Tourism, Indian Oil Corporation and Aquarius. As a new addition this year, the rally is approved by Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India, and it has now become a national event.
The rally moved through clear roads of Link road 2, Subhash School, Bittan Market, Char Imli Habibganj Thana, Metro Plaza, Shahpura, Manisha Market, Old Campion, 10 No. Vandematram Chouraha, Shaitan singh Market, Prashasan Academy, 1100 Quarters, Banskhedi, Link Road No 3, 5 No., 6 No, 1250 stop, 2nd Stop, Mata Mandir, MANIIT, Bhadbhada, Dipo chauraha, Shyamla Hills and ended at IGRMS. Enroute were check points to ensure, no-one drives fast, and all traffic rules were strictly followed.
The rally where the vehicle was driven by a sighted person and the navigator was a blind person, the route map in Braille was given to them on the spot. The navigators for the rally were from all over Madhya Pradesh. The rally covered around 30 kms distance within the Bhopal Municipal limits. The route of the rally was managed by Event Management Group- Genius.
Throughout the route all road safety norms and speed limits were strictly followed as told by the event manager Neeraj Gulati from Genius- a Creative group who was the creator of the Route of the rally. This time a questionnaire was also added in the route map with questions on disability related issues. Arushi transcribed the route map in Braille.
Competitors finishing with minimum penalty points were declared the winners, as there was one penalty point for each minute delay and 5 penalty points on entering one minute early at the check points. The prize distribution programme was organized at of Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya. Ashok Shah, Principal Secretary, Department of Social Justice, Government of MP, SK Chaudhary, Director Manav Sangrahalaya were present for giving the prizes to the winners.
There were cash prizes by AMWAY and trophies for first three winners by New Life Laboratories and gifts to all navigators by IGRMS. Total 50 vehicles participated in the rally. The navigators were from 30 districts of Madhya Pradesh.
Prize winners were- first prize went to driver Surya Kant Gelani and navigator Prem Hariyale with 17 penalty points (Rs 10000), second prize to driver Reema Makhija and navigator Rinki Hirwani with 20 penalty points (Rs 6,000) and third prize went to driver Ravi Gupta and navigator Priyesh Gup ta with 28 penalty points (Rs 4,000).