Villagers forced to walk 4 km to cast votes

Srikakulam: Residents of several villages in Palasa and Tekkali Assembly segments in Srikakulam district have to walk kilometres of distance to cast their vote in the coming elections.

In Palasa mandal, residents of Jennasai, Tusarada, Chintaveedhi, Derli, Chinaganthara, Peddaganthara and other six hamlet villages under Lotturu village panchayat have to walk 4 kilometres distance from their village to cast their vote at Lotturu polling centre. In all the villages more than 600 voters are residing.

in Tekkali mandal, the residents of Mukhalingapuram, Lingalavalasa, Meghavaram, Bendakayalapeta, Palasingi, G Jagannadhapuram, Jeedipeta, Bhimpuram and Borigipeta panchayats have to walk more than three kilometres distance to cast their votes.

In Tekkali segment in Nandigama mandal K Agraharam, Uppalapatti, Harshabada, Mukundapuram, Venkatapuram, Deppuru, Kotturu, Lingalavalasa, Sorligam, Sathivada and Mettapeta, the residents have to engage private vehicles to reach polling stations.

'We will arrange transport or will make payment for transport to reach polling stations for elderly and physically challenged voters and remaining all others have to make their own means of transport to cast their votes," returning officers of Palasa and Tekkali segments D Anitha and S Bhaskar Reddy told The Hans India.