Bettiah: Voters in the river-locked Diara region of West Champaran travelled by boat on Tuesday to reach polling stations for the second and final phase of the Bihar assembly election, highlighting years of neglect in one of the state’s most isolated pockets.
Residents of Singhai Ghat panchayat, part of Noutan constituency in Bettiah district, crossed the river to reach the polling booth in Bairiya. Women and older voters turned out in large numbers, describing the vote as both an obligation and an act of protest against chronic underdevelopment.
Security personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were deployed along the riverbank to assist voters boarding boats. The region, surrounded by water on all sides, has long struggled with access to essential services.
Premchandra Prasad, a local voter, said leaders only appeared during elections. “Politicians want our votes, but we still don’t have a bridge or proper roads. There has been no development here in 70 years,” he said.
Another voter, Kishore Chaudhary, echoed the frustration: “There are no roads and no bridge. Our area has remained the same from the beginning—ignored.”
Women voters, many of whom travelled with families, said they intended to vote solely on the issue of development. “No one listens to us. There is no basic infrastructure. This time we will vote for development,” one woman said.
Residents stressed that crossing the river is a daily challenge, often leaving them cut off during monsoon months. “We have no bridge, not even basic connectivity. But voting is our duty, so we came,” another voter said.
Voters across the Diara belt agree that the lack of infrastructure has become the defining electoral issue. “We want our area to progress. That’s why we are crossing the river to vote,” a villager said.
