Special buses arranged to bring Mundakkai–Chooralmala survivors for polling

Kalpetta: The Wayanad district administration will arrange special transportation on Thursday to help voters from the landslide-hit Mundakkai–Chooralmala region, now scattered across Wayanad in rented accommodation, reach their polling booths for the local body elections. District Collector D R Meghasree, who is also the District Election Officer, announced the arrangements in a press release.

More than 300 people were killed in the devastating landslide, and hundreds of families were forced to abandon their homes after the terrain collapsed and houses were swept away. With limited rental options available in the affected locality, survivors have since relocated to various parts of the district.

According to officials, transportation has been organised for 743 people from 432 families who previously lived in the Mundakkai–Chooralmala area of Meppadi panchayat. Seven buses will operate two services each, at 11 am and 2.30 pm, from Kalpetta, Vythiri, Meenangadi, Meppadi and surrounding areas. Passengers can travel to their designated polling booths and return free of cost, said nodal officer P Baiju.

Former Meppadi panchayat president K Babu noted that Mundakkai, the 11th ward of the panchayat, suffered the worst damage in the disaster. The polling station originally located there has now been shifted to Chooralmala. “The 10th ward, Attamala, and the 12th ward, Chooralmala, were also severely affected. Earlier, the Mundakkai booth alone had 960 voters. Across the three wards, around 900 families were displaced after the landslide,” he said.