mumbais notoriously low turnouts in elections over the years has prompted citizen groups to launch a concerted effort to increase the voting percentage this time with polling in the city just over a month away april 29 resident associations and civic activists are planning doortodoor campaignsbarring the 2014 general election when the city recorded the maximum turnout in 25 years526 the highest since 1989 when the figure was 55middleclass and affluent mumbaikars have been largely indifferent to the process of electing parliamentary representatives delhi in comparison recorded a turnout of 65 in 2014 and maharashtra on the whole saw 60 voting the contrast was especially evident in the prestigious mumbai south constituency home to most of the countrys millionaires and billionaires the turnout here in 2009 was a paltry 40 in 2014 it was 54part of the reason mumbaikars havent been queuing up at the polling booth is a lack of connect with their representatives while the citys mps have historically focused on slum pockets in their outreach change has been visible over the last decade as several have used constituencydevelopment funds under the mp local area development scheme or mplads for improving gardens railway stations and other facilities of universal usethis time the advanced locality managements alms are prodding mumbaikars to shed their infamous apathy their programmes range from creating awareness about polling day to organizing meetyourcandidate sessions in our area we have mapped places with extremely low turnouts we are going to such areas to spread awareness we will tell people to look at their candidates carefully we will ask them to see whether a candidate has worked for the area before deciding to vote for him or her said rajkumar sharma member of a chembur almin bandra the pali hill residents association has organized cars to help voters our polling centre st annes school is uphill elderly voters find it difficult to walk up there our volunteers vehicles help them on poll day said the groups secretary madhu poplaitheres much activity online as well indrani malkani of v citizens action network vcan said the group is working with the states electoral office to post answers to citizens queries on the website togethervcanin we have even linked it to our twitter page togethervcan with the hashtag elections2019 for larger reach