Poll materials transported by tractor and pickup van reached three remote polling stations in Erode district on Tuesday (April 22, 2026), with arrangements in place for polling on Thursday (April 23, 2026).
Kuttaiyur (271 electors) on the Tamil Nadu–Karnataka border, Kathirimalai (174 electors) — both in the Anthiyur Assembly constituency — and Malliamman Durgham (404 electors) under the Bhavanisagar Assembly constituency are among the most remote booths in the district.
Though Kuttaiyur is located in the plains, vehicles were unable to cover the rugged forest stretch from Makkampalayam. The team started from Anthiyur at 1 p.m. and travelled 83 km — 54 km within Tamil Nadu and 29 km through Karnataka — crossing the Palar River before reaching the station.
Kathirimalai, located at an altitude of 1,200 metres, is one of the most rugged terrains. A polling official said the materials reached the foothills in the plains of Kolathur block in Salem district by 3.30 p.m., after which they were shifted to a tractor trailer. The team traversed an 8.1-km rain-battered mud track to reach the booth by 5.30 p.m.
Likewise, Malliamman Durgham, located within the dense forests of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in the Kadambur hills, poses a challenge for polling officials. At the foothills, materials were loaded onto a pickup van that traversed a nine-km rugged stretch with steep gradients for nearly two hours to reach the booth. There is no electricity in the hamlet, and a generator and solar power will be used for webcasting.
Though the materials reached these booths in the evening, officials said adequate arrangements had been made to ensure that voters could exercise their franchise without any difficulty.
Published - April 22, 2026 05:59 pm IST