Nagpur: As polling begins today for the Maharashtra Assembly Elections, many young professionals originally from Nagpur, now working in Pune, are unable to return home to cast their votes. Despite their eagerness to participate, challenges such as inadequate transport, mid-week polling, and single-day leaves have kept them away from polling stations.
Several professionals shared their frustrations. Some revealed that although their companies declared Election Day a holiday, they were required to compensate by working on Sunday, leaving no room for long-distance travel.
Ketan Kuril, an automobile executive based in Chinchwad, expressed his disappointment. “While my company gave us a day off, it’s not enough to travel back to Nagpur and vote. Those with villages within 300–400 kilometers can manage, but such rushed trips are exhausting. Like many Vidarbha residents in Pune, I want to vote, but the timing makes it impossible,” he said.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Nikhil Chandnani, a corporate employee. “The mid-week scheduling is the biggest hurdle. If voting were on a Friday, combining it with the weekend would’ve made it feasible. I just returned from Diwali holidays, and now it’s impossible to make another trip to Nagpur,” he noted.
Kinjal Bansod, an IT professional, highlighted the issue of rising travel costs. “Bus and train fares are exorbitant due to the festive season. Even with a day off, there are no affordable or convenient transport options to reach Nagpur. I’ll probably work from home to make up for the lost time,” she said.
However, not everyone faced the same challenges. Isha Singh, another IT professional, managed to vote as she was already in Nagpur for a family function. “I had to skip my Diwali vacation in Pune to make this trip possible,” she said.
As voting progresses across Nagpur’s 12 assembly constituencies, where 45.25 lakh registered voters will decide the fate of 217 candidates, many Nagpurians residing outside the city lament missing out on their democratic right due to logistical and professional constraints.
