gistfile1.txt

#!/usr/bin/python

def removeObstacleUtil(numRows, numColumns, lot, row, col):
  if not row and not col:
    return 1 + min(removeObstacleUtil(numRows, numColumns, lot, row + 1, col),
                   removeObstacleUtil(numRows, numColumns, lot, row, col + 1))
  elif row == numRows - 1 and col == numColumns - 1:
    return -1
  elif row == numRows - 1:
    return 1 + removeObstacleUtil(numRows, numColumns, lot, row, col + 1)
  elif col == numColumns - 1:
    return 1 + removeObstacleUtil(numRows, numColumns, lot, row + 1, col)
  elif lot[row][col] == 9:
    return 0
  else:
    return 1 + min(removeObstacleUtil(numRows, numColumns, lot, row + 1, col),
                   removeObstacleUtil(numRows, numColumns, lot, row, col + 1))

def removeObstacle(numRows, numColumns, lot):
  if numRows < 1 or numColumns > 1000 or numColumns < 1:
    return -1
  return removeObstacleUtil(numRows, numColumns, lot, 0, 0)


m = 3
n = 3
l = [
      [1, 0, 0],
      [1, 0, 0],
      [1, 9, 1]
    ]
d = removeObstacle(m, n, l)
print 'Output: ', d