Tamil Nadu: Senior citizens, the disabled, and the visually impaired will be provided special accommodations on Thursday, April 23, the day of the Assembly elections. In Chennai, people from these categories will be able to travel free on city buses on polling day, enabling them to exercise their franchise without hassle.
A press release has been issued by the Chennai Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) in this regard. It states that senior citizens aged 60 years or above will not be required to pay fare when traveling on regular fare MTC buses to cast their votes. Passengers must present proof of age or their voter ID card.
The press release also clarifies that senior citizens will not need to purchase a separate token. They can obtain a free travel ticket by simply presenting their identity card to the bus conductor.
Similarly, passengers with disabilities and visual impairments will also benefit from this facility. They will also be required to show their identity card or voter ID card while traveling on the bus, after which the conductor will issue them a free travel ticket.
The MTC stated that this facility will be applicable only on polling day, April 23rd. Its purpose is to ensure that people from all sections of society, especially senior citizens and the disabled, can reach the polling station without any financial or transportation barriers.
Such facilities are provided to ensure maximum voter turnout during elections. The administration believes that this will help those who face difficulties traveling on normal days.
Preparations for the elections have been completed in the state, and the administration is continuously making efforts to maintain smooth functioning of the system. This special facility is being used to encourage more people to vote.
