A majority of the polling booths in Pithoragarh district of the Almora-Pithoragarh parliamentary constituency, where the candidates have not reached even by air service, beleaguered citizens of the said areas will travel many kilometers on foot to stamp their support on the victory of the candidates on the polling day.
With 392 polling booths out of 533 remaining disconnected with road links in different Assembly constituencies of Pithoragarh district that falls in the Almora-Pithoragarh parliamentary constituency, voters concerned will have to travel on foot over 10 to 15 km to exercise their franchise in the aforesaid polling booths in the scorching heat of this summer in Pithoragarh on polling day on May 7. More so, out of the poorly connected 392 polling booths with road services, nearly a dozen polling booths are located over 15 km away from the road link in different Assembly segments of border district of Pithorgarh.
A maximum 115 polling booths are upto 15 km away from motorable road in Pithoragarh's Dharchula Assembly constituency, while as many as 111 polling booths are disconnected with road links in the Gangolihat Assembly constituency of Pithoragarh district.
The matter of concern is that surface transport facility is no less alarming in some parts of the Pithoragarh and Didihat Assembly constituencies of the Pithoragarh district also. Whereas 87 polling booths are away from the road in Pithoragarh's Didihat Assembly constituency, as many as 79 polling booths are disconnected with basic services like road connectivity in the Pithoragarh assembly constituency.
Whereas many a number of polling booths are poorly connected with road services as mentioned above in Pithoragarh district, some of the polling booths are located at 2500 meter height.
The polling booth at the Government Primary School, Bauna, Munsiyari is located at 2500 meter height. As many as 586 voters will exercise their franchise at this polling booth, said H C Semwal, District Election Officer, Pithoragarh.
In the meanwhile, as many as 569 voters will exercise their franchise at the Government Inter College Barabe which is located at 2000 meter height in Pithoragarh assembly constituency, he added.
Similarly, there are many a polling booth which are located at high altitudes in Didihat and Gangolihat Assembly constituencies of Pithoragarh district also, officials said.
There are about 343547 voters i.e. 170787 males and 172760 female voters in Pithoragarh district. In the meanwhile, citizens of this border district seem to be quite disappointed with the poor developmental works being carried out in their respective areas.
The polling booths with poor road connectivity only expose the elected leaders' sincerity who make huge promises during the election campaign, but do little to ensure timely execution of these promises, regrets Jeevan Adhikari, a voter from the Pithorgarh assembly constituency.
Yet, the candidates continue to make huge promises to their electorates during the poll campaign, but the beleaguered citizens of these assembly pockets of Pithoragarh where to have a road connectivity still remains a distant dream, need execution of these 'false' promises on the ground also, he added. In the meanwhile, District Election Officer, Semwal, has asked the officials concerned to take necessary steps in time to ensure smooth conduct of the upcoming lok Sabha elections.