Physically challenged man goes extra mile

dubai — Does walking from Sharjah to Dubai seem like a daunting task? Not for this 52-year-old Indian resident of determination, who wanted to increase awareness and show his gratitude to the UAE.

Mohammed Yousuf Javid walked from Sharjah to Dubai on Sunday morning, for the 9th edition of Car-Free Day. Back in 1996, he lost an arm and had to install steel rods in both his legs after a train accident in Mumbai. Javid, a UAE resident for the past 16 years, said his gesture was to encourage others to ditch their vehicles in favour of using public transport, walking or biking to work. “I fell off a local train and lost my left arm and both my limbs are fixed by steel rods. I didn’t feel pain while walking; it was actually a great experience,” said the Kerala-born Javid, who is currently unemployed.

He started his journey at 6:22am from Al Khan to Union Metro Station to join the Dubai Municipality’s Car-Free Day celebrations. The journey took him an hour and 15 minutes, in comparison to the drive that sometimes takes up to two hours. “The weather is currently great, so why not leave our cars home at least once a month? It is good for our health and saves us from the road rage and traffic jams,” said Javid. “When I drive, I deal with the traffic that makes me feel nervous and impatient, but today, I feel very relaxed.”

sherouk@khaleejtimes.com