Maharashtra elections 2024: South Mumbai voters praise amenities at polling centres

Archana Kadrekar was responsible for the crèche at Dongri municipal Marathi school

Voters, many of whom had an unpleasant experience during the Lok Sabha election, expressed satisfaction with the amenities provided at polling centres on Wednesday. Voters in several areas, including Worli and Malabar Hill, and even crowded areas like Umerkhadi, Dongri and Pydhonie, witnessed shorter queues at polling centres as compared to the May election. While mobile phones were strictly prohibited in Worli and Mumbadevi centres, a few centres at Malabar Hill had a facility to keep cellular devices outside polling booths.

There was a long list of complaints from voters during the Lok Sabha elections, including the scorching heat, long queues, and no water or seating arrangements. But on Wednesday, not a single voter expressed displeasure in Worli, Malabar Hill and Mumbadevi constituencies. Vishnu Kanhere, a senior citizen who expressed strong displeasure over his voting experience (and no separate queues for senior citizens) at Sundatta High School in Tardeo during the Lok Sabha polls, said, "This time signage was better, the process was smoother and officers were not missing. Though there were no separate queues for women and senior citizens, the process was faster and I did not mind waiting."

A polling centre at Pydhonie where there was no queue to vote

Mobile phones were strictly prohibited in Worli centres. Rajendra Patye, a BEST employee, was holding cellular devices belonging to his family members and friends at the BMC public parking lot voting centre at Worli. He told mid-day, "Last time, the centre was in the open garden near the Century Mills buildings. This time's centre is further away, but as they increased the booth centres there were no queues."

A pregnant woman who came to vote at Globe Mill Passage Municipal School in Lower Parel also expressed satisfaction with the facilities in the polling booth. "I come out within 10 minutes," she told mid-day on the condition of anonymity.

Not only voters but even polling staff expressed satisfaction. "We faced a lot of difficulties during the Lok Sabha election. This time we have enough facilities," said one of the polling staff in Worli. There were no queues at polling centres in Malabar Hill and Walkeshwar areas. A police officer said, "There was a crowd in the morning, but as the poll booths increased, there were no long queues. People are coming and going within 10 to 15 minutes."

Even a creche facility was provided at centres and people were using it. Archana Kadrekar, a staff member who had responsibility for a crèche at Dongri municipal Marathi school, said, "I took care of more than 15 children from morning till their parents returned after casting their vote."