Pune: On Monday, a group of election officials set out for five polling stations in far-flung areas of Nandurbar district in north Maharashtra. Their journey took two days, crossing rivers on barges, travelling through back-breaking roads, and clambering up hills for about a km, said Mitali Sethi, Nandurbar district election officer. In another corner of Marathwada, polling staffers travelled through hilly train to reach Waghdhari village in Nanded.
The village has no roads, making travelling on vehicles difficult. "Till last election, there was no polling station in the village and the villagers had to go to Jaldhara, about 2 hours away, to cast their votes. But now the polling booth has come to their doorstep," said Suryakant Sidheshware, the booth level officer (BLO) of Waghdari polling station.
The village has 190 voters. The most challenging task for officials was to reach the polling stations in Bhor tehsil in the Western Ghats. A team of Election Commission officials went to the foothills in a jeep, climbed a ladder to reach the top of Raireshwar Fort.
Thereafter, they had to walk almost for two hours to reach the polling station, carting heavy bags stuffed with EVMs and other paraphernalia, said an official. One of the polling stations at Burudmaal village in the area has 19 voters. "Our officials have already reached the location," Samir Mulani, the circle officer, Bhor, said.
"It is one of the remotest polling stations in the district. "We have made proper planning .