Dial helpline to check location of your polling booth

The location of 1,784 polling booths in the district has changed after the Lok Sabha election. The district collector has appealed to residents to check the addresses

The location of 1,784 polling booths in the district has changed after the Lok Sabha election. The district collector has appealed to residents to check the addresses of their polling booth before going to vote on Monday.

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The district also has identified 591 polling centres as critical where there will be more security. More than 1,800 locations are identified where the number of physically challenged voters is these centres will have ramps and wheelchairs.

District collector Rajesh Narvekar said, “This year, the election commission has given directives to set up polling booths on the ground floor. We had to change some of the regular polling centres and set them up at new locations. Around 1,784 polling centres are set up at new locations. Voters will have to confirm the address of the polling station before going to vote. They can call 1950 to confirm the address or check online.”

He said flex boards have been put up at the old locations, giving the address of the new venue. “Around 5,508 polling stations are set up on the ground floor while 796 polling stations are in pandals. Schools or government buildings had parking on the ground floor so we have used this space to set up polling booths. The pandals are water proof and have wooden flooring to ensure people can stand comfortable even if it rains,” he said.

Since September, 3,564 voters have called on 1950 helpline number to confirm their name on the list. There are around 10,486 physically and mentally challenged voters in the district for whom salmon pink autorickshaws and low-floor buses will be made available. The voter’s list will also be put up in Braille while 2,395 volunteers are stationed across the district to help them. The EVM will also ballot paper in Braille.

Narvekar said, “Around 29,285 employees will carry out the election procedure in Thane district.”

The facilities

The polling booths will have drinking water, wheelchairs and first-aid kits. The district will have 23 sakhi booths which will be operated by women.

500 critical booths in the district

The district has 591 critical polling booths — 36 in Bhiwandi rural, 45 in Dombivli, 44 in Kalyan rural, 38 in Kalyan east, 36 in Airoli and 36 in Belapur.

“We have appointed around 9,108 police personnel, 3,526 home guards and 18 teams of Central Reserve Police Force. Critical booths are those where 90% of voters have cast their votes and more than 75% votes are won by one candidate in the previous elections,” said Narvekar.