Malini’s adopted village set to get facelift

Rawal (Mathura): Radha’s birthplace Rawal, adopted by local MP Hema Malini last year, is set to undergo a slew of developmental projects intended to transform the profile of the sleepy village.
BJP lawmaker Malini is keen to provide the village with basic amenities before the ensuing festival season. The village is set to have a post office, public toilets, a bank, a medical centre and shopping complex with the help of the private sector, officials close to the legislator said.
The main approach road to the village will be given a facelift. Around Rs 30 lakhs would be spent on this stretch. The other roads will be equipped with streetlights and drains to prevent water-logging, the MP’s representative told TOI.
Mathura Refinery has offered its services to install solar lights to illuminate the village at nights. The company’s target is to set up 100 solar panels across the village.
The blueprint of the village’s makeover comes after locals protested last week against lack of any developmental work. Last week, villagers bemoaned the appalling state of the main approach road. “Darkness engulfs the village after dusk. Even basic amenities, such as drinking water, electricity, are not available. All in all, Rawal remains in the doldrums despite its special status in Hindu mythology,” villagers complained in unison.
Nahar Singh, a local, agonized about broken promises. He said not a single hand pump had been installed in the village, and nor were public toilets made since the time Malini decided to take the village under her wings.
Another villager Shiv Ram threw a light on the youth in the village having nowhere to go and study. “And to top it, those who have passed out from the village high school remain unemployed,” he said.
Irked by such criticism, Hema Malini visited the village last month to interact with the locals and conceptualize a plan of action. The legislator’s representative attributed the delay in reforming the village was down to funds crunch. “Since the state government couldn’t back us, we approached NGOs and private trusts to help us,” the official said, pleading anonymity.