A civic election marked by widespread violence the last time was somewhat minus the high-voltage action this time.
Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation went to polls on Saturday. There were queues at polling stations across several places like Salt Lake, Baguiati, Kestopur and Hatiara since morning.
Allegations of poll violence did emerge from several pockets but residents stepped out to cast their vote in numbers.
The crowd count at the booths swelled at noon and by 5pm the entire polling procedure was over.
At some polling stations, when the electronic voting machines (EVMs) were being carried out by the polling personnel, cheers rang out from Trinamul Congress workers.
At 7pm, Left Front supporters staged a protest at the Karunamoyee intersection against what they called “large scale booth capturing and poll violence”.
In the last Bidhannagar polls in October 2015, bombs were hurled at several places of Salt Lake and violence was reported from all the 41 wards under the civic body.
Priti Kumar Sen, a resident of AB Block in Salt Lake, was pushed to the ground and kicked by outsiders when he went to cast his vote.
At least 17 reporters and camera persons were assaulted on that day.
On Saturday, The Telegraph crisscrossed the 41 wards of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation and spoke to several voters, including Sen, to find out what they had in mind while casting their vote.
Here are some of them
Priti Kumar Sen, 65, a resident of Salt Lake who was assaulted in the last civic polls
When I stepped out of my house, the memories of what unfolded in 2015. I was assaulted by goons for daring to walk up to the polling station. This event was fresh in my mind.
This time I voted keeping in mind the sorry state of roads in Salt Lake, non-functional streetlights that dot the township and parts of roads and empty plots that have turned into garbage dumps.
I kept in mind that we, as residents of a planned city, need better civic amenities without any excuses. Sadly, that has not been the case in Salt Lake as well as it’s
adjoining areas.
Madhurilata Basu, 33, lives in Salt Lake, college teacher
I voted for the candidate who I think will be less corrupt than the others who are contesting.
Although the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation is a relatively small urban body, the councillors need to focus on better utilisation of resources and ensure that we get proper civic amenities without having to run from pillar to post.
Shibaji Pratim Basu, 62, resident of AB Block in Salt Lake
Salt Lake that had no issues of waterlogging is getting swamped after every spell of rain of late. This indicates that the earlier civic board failed to complete its basic duties like cleaning of drains and keeping the township clean.
Moreover, there is a disparity in the level of services provided by the civic body to residents of Salt Lake as compared to its added areas like pockets of Rajarhat and Duttabad. I will also like to see a uniform property tax structure that is on a par with other civic bodies across the state.
Sampriti Sinha, 28, Kestopur resident, bank employee
Crimes against women are rife. Instances of snatching, molestation and teasing have gone up both in Kestopur where I stay as well as in Salt Lake. This time the only thing that I had in mind was safety for women on the streets.