Dholpur (Rajasthan): As voting began for the first phase of the Lok Sabha election 2024, villagers of Gujarra Kala village of Bari subdivision area in Rajasthan's Dholpur district boycotted voting to demand better road connectivity.
Locals said that lack of road connectivity has persisted in the area for the last 15 years. The villagers warned the administration in strong words that they will not vote until they get assurance of road construction.
Locals Trek Through Fields to the City: Local villager Sukhdev Singh said that the area has been awaiting a road connectivity for the last 15 years. They knocked the doors of the local politicians to top officials of the district administration in this regard, but to no avail, Singh said. Singh said that the lack of road connectivity forces village children to go to school on foot even as villagers have to travel to cities and towns through fields.
Roads Shut During Monsoon: Singh said that during the rainy season the problem becomes more severe for the villagers as the transport routes get completely closed due to water-logging.
Besides, the villagers are subjected trauma in case of illness in the family or emergency situations, Singh said adding the villagers are forced to take pregnant women to the hospital on cots. Villagers said that the boycott of voting will continue until the government and administration give concrete assurance of road construction.
As of Friday afternoon, no villager had cast his/her vote at the Gujrakala polling booth in Dholpur. CO Anand Rao, police station incharge Shaitan Singh and the polling party tried to pacify the villagers to vote, but the villagers were adamant on the demand for road construction. The villagers have warned the administration in strong words that they will not vote until they get assurance of road construction.
