Delhi’s rural voters slam poor amenities, but vote en masse in hope for change
Despite complaining that there were not enough roads, no connectivity to Ring Road, the nearest Metro station being located 15-17kms away and having limited access to water and electricity, they clocked an impressive voter turnout despite “minimal arrangements” at the polling booths
Voters from Delhi’s Barwala, Narela, Bawana and Rithala — rural pockets nestled across the Capital — were a disgruntled lot, not having access to basic amenities amid “aggressive” heat. But, despite complaining that there were not enough roads, no connectivity to Ring Road, the nearest Metro station being located several kilometres away and having limited access to water and electricity, they clocked an impressive voter turnout despite “minimal arrangements” at the polling booths.
Similar scenes were observed in West Delhi and South Delhi’s rural areas as well.
Casting their votes, electors criticised the government for “ignoring” them for years, but said they hope for a change this time around.
In North West Delhi, a large number of middle-aged men, women and elderly couples came to vote in groups. Most of them came walking, and some onboard e-rickshaws from near their homes.
Vishal Jha, 66, a priest from Narela, said, “The condition of the polling booth is a reflection of the area. There’s garbage all around. Nobody cleaned the booth before the elections. There is drinking water but the can was kept under the sun. It’s hot water now. I waited for almost one and a half hours. My knees were aching and there was no seating space. I still came to vote because we want to see a change here.”
Jha and his friends hitchhiked a ride to reach the polling booth at Daffodil Public School on Bawana Road, bearing a harsh five-kilometre ride, given there are no roads near his house.
Pooja Singh, 40, a homemaker from Swatantra Nagar in Narela, not only “dragged” her husband along, but also claimed that she took her friends and sister-in-law to the polling booth. “We have a lot of issues, but nobody ever helps us. We live in illegal colonies, get no water or electricity…the Metro station is 15-17 kms away. Is this fair?,” she said.
Of the arrangements at the booth, she said, “It’s very hot here and the water cooler is not working. There’s a long queue but we managed to get space as we came early.”
Unlike Singh and Jha, who received their voter slips on time, many were left without a slip or were directed to other booths. Many were left confused, as they didn’t know the location of the other booths.
Sushma Patil, 43, a farmer from Barwala, left in an open jeep with almost 10-12 other farmers from her area to cast her vote but went around in circles for two hours after being denied a voter slip. “The polling officer told me to go to Rithala to vote. I don’t know where to go. There’s nobody to guide me. I don’t even have a phone and I can’t find my husband,” Patil said.
Harish Kumar, 55, a labourer, was left fuming at the polling booth officer in Rithala as there was no ramp for his wheelchair-ridden wife to get through. “The officer is not issuing us a slip. We don’t know who to ask. We just want to vote,” he said.
At the MCD Primary School in Barwala, voters started tussling with polling officers and police due to a lack of shade.
Daya Nand Vats, 68, a freelancer, said, “I came here at 8am and waited till 11.30am to cast my vote. There’s no shade or seating space. I told an officer that I have prostate issues and need my son in line with me. But nobody helped us. We will suffer, but we will vote. We need better roads. There are open drains outside our houses.”
In Pocket 4, Rohini, voters waited under trees for their turn to vote.
SK Tamta, a retired bank officer, said, “My son is 43 years old and he is unemployed. It’s very hot here and there are no arrangements. There’s no drinking water as well, but we will wait. Unemployment is a big issue for us.”
There were long queues and heavy turnout at Mehrauli in South Delhi, which is a melting pot of urban villages and unauthorised colonies. The Mehrauli MCD Primary Bal Vidyalaya was packed with voters throughout the day.
Sanjay Mishra, 34, a voter in Mehrauli, said: “Mehrauli is one of the oldest villages in Delhi, but the water supply is erratic. The new MP should focus on improving this area and developing its as a heritage hub.”
Iype Mathew, 61, a retired government official, said that the new MP should help Mehrauli resolve its water shortage problem. “Roads are in a bad condition and water is supplied only on alternate days. The area saw a demolition drive but a stay has been granted on further demolition. New MP should remove these uncertainties,” he said.
Across Najafgarh, voting remained high throughout the day in Kair and Mitraon villages.
Thirty-seven-year-old Deepak, who goes by a single name, a resident of Kair Extension for the past 11 years, said the area still has no sewer connection or drinking water supply.
“All of us have voted. Sometimes, we get tankers through the government and other times, we pay and arrange it ourselves. My family and I are voting in hope that something changes,” he said.
Vishal Sehrawat, 27, another resident of the village, said he was hoping for the upliftment of Najafgarh as a whole. “We need better connectivity, particularly to a ring road. We need the Metro to be extended further and Najafgarh is also crying out for its markets to be modernised. I am hoping my vote helps us move in that direction,” he said.