From free rides to ramps, a host of measures to help senior citizens, persons with disabilities

Puducherry Elections Department provides transportation for elderly and disabled voters, ensuring accessibility and convenience during Lok Sabha elections.

Several elderly or disadvantaged electors availed the pick-up and drop facility extended by the Elections Department for exercising franchise in the Lok Sabha elections held on Friday.

The facility is arranged for differently abled persons and senior citizens above 80 years. In Puducherry district, around 340 persons have sought transportation facility to reach polling stations. The department has arranged 37 vehicles for their transportation.

“We have received pick-up requests from at least 38 elderly voters”, said a polling official at the VOC Higher Secondary School on Mission Street.

A fleet of seven cars, a bus, two regular rickshaws and an e-rickshaw operated by women drivers had been deployed at this polling station to transport them from home to the polling station and back.

The department had also provided assured minimum facilities in all the 967 polling stations across 618 locations. These included wheelchair-friendly ramp provisions, Braille stickers on EVMs, drinking water provision, shade provision, medical kits and garbage bins for segregated waste collection.

Besides, about 1,200 student volunteers had been engaged during poll day to facilitate Persons with Disability, senior citizens, and women with children in casting vote without hassle.

However, there were many voters in the elderly/disadvantaged categories who did not avail of this assistance.