Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has been making poll arrangements at a brisk pace. The civic body has already deployed vehicles to transport specially-abled people to polling booths on December 7 free of cost. This will help 18,000 voters in the city.
A GHMC official claimed that polling stations were being equipped with ramps and wheelchairs to ensure that voters with special needs exercise their franchise. GHMC Commissioner and District Election Officer, M Dana Kishore held a meeting with senior officials on Sunday to review the arrangements and instructed officials to allot names of differently-abled voters to polling station nearest to their residence.
A list of voters has been given to the officials and staff concerned to verify and enrol names in the voter list by visiting differently-abled people at their residence. Mr Kishore said 18,000 Swachh workers will be deployed as escorts and helpers at all polling stations, and a nodal officer has been appointed to oversee the polling process for voters with special needs.
Specially-abled persons can download the Android-based application called VAADA and request a vehicle to transport them to their polling booth.
The VAADA app, which can be downloaded from Google Play Store, opens with a screen in which details of the person, mobile number, type of disability and assistance required can be filled-in. The app is also voice enabled. Once the details are entered, the location is determined and the required help will presumably be on its way. All the information, including location details, will be stored on a server accessible to GHMC staff.
