No road, no vote, warn residents of twin districts

Allahabad: With just over a week left for polling in Allahabad and Pratapgrah, voters of the two districts are showing their distress over the callous attitude of the authorities in solving their problems and have threatened to boycott Lok Sabha elections. Both the constituencies would go for poll on May 12.
While the locals of Kaudihar tehsil of Allahabad have decided not to vote due to dilapidated road and waterlogging, people in Chilbila area of neighbouring Pratapgrah are peeved at the poor law and order situation.
Carrying a banner, which read ‘road nahi to vote nahi’ (no vote if there is no road), the locals staged a protest in the main market area on Friday. “It has been over six months that the main stretch of road (around 300 meters), connecting Allahadad-Lucknow highway to Pachdevra village is laying unattended. Authorities had broken the drain saying that they would widen the road and construct new drains, but situation has gone from bad to worse,” said Garud Kumar Keservani, a shopkeeper.
Likewise, traders and businessman of the Chilbila market area of Pratapgrah have put up banners in the area displaying their decision. “Extortion, kidnapping and loot have become a daily affair and the police and administration are a mute spectator,” said Ravindra Jaiswal, a businessman.