E-rickshaws ease elderly, specially abled voters reach polling booths in Ludhiana West bypoll

These e-rickshaws were stationed outside polling booths throughout the day and were designated to ferry voters from the booth to their residences after they cast their vote

In a bid to ensure inclusive and hassle-free voting during the Ludhiana West bypoll, the district administration deployed dedicated e-rickshaws at several polling booths to assist senior citizens and specially abled voters.

Volunteers helping senior citizens reach their designated polling booths in Ludhiana on Thursday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

These e-rickshaws were stationed outside polling booths throughout the day and were designated to ferry voters from the booth to their residences after they cast their vote.

Notably, these vehicles bore the symbol of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the name of their assigned polling booth, and the vehicle’s registration number, making them easily identifiable for voters.

Jatinder Singh, a security personnel deployed at a booth set up on the cemetery road, said, “This is the first time the district administration has made such arrangements for elderly and specially abled voters. Any such voters facing difficulty in returning home after voting can avail this facility free of cost.”

The facility was also extended to voters who reached the wrong polling station by mistake. Such voters were allowed to use the e-rickshaws to travel from one polling booth to their right one, Singh noted.

Voicing her relief, Kamla Devi, 72, who came to vote at a booth set up in Jawahar Nagar, said, “I had come with my son to cast my vote, but he had to leave immediately for some urgent work. We were worried about how I would manage to get home alone. But the volunteers quickly arranged this e-rickshaw facility for me. It was smooth, respectful, and free.”

Another voter, Ramesh Kumar, 66, who had mistakenly arrived at the wrong booth, shared a similar experience. “I didn’t know my booth had changed. A volunteer guided me and put me in an e-rickshaw that dropped me off at the right booth. The whole process took just a few minutes without any hassle.”