Shimla, May 14 (IANS): A 414-km-long cycling expedition to traverse through Himalayan ranges, aimed at creating awareness among the voters about the Lok Sabha polls and Assembly bye-elections in Himachal Pradesh, was flagged off by Chief Electoral Officer Maneesh Garg from the historic Ridge here on Tuesday.

Starting from Shimla, located at an altitude of 7,000 feet, the expedition will culminate at the world’s highest polling station located at Tashigang (15,256 feet) on May 20.

Garg said the seven-day expedition will create awareness among voters, especially among first-time voters.

He said six people are participating in the cycling rally, out of which state election icon Jaspreet Paul and his team member Kshitij will go from Shimla till Tashigang.

The other four cyclists will be part of the expedition till Narkanda.

This expedition will go to Tashigang via Theog, Narkanda, Rampur, Reckong Peo, Nako, Kaza, Kaumik and Hikkim.

The expedition will pay tribute to the first voter of India, late Shyam Saran Negi, on May 16 in Kalpa, his hometown.

Garg said the distance from Shimla to Kaza is 414 km that also coincides with Election Department's mission 414 Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) initiative.

The mission is aimed at increasing voting percentage at 414 polling stations, where the voting percentage was low in the Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

He said this time nearly three per cent of total voters in the electoral rolls would exercise their franchise for the first time and this expedition would go a long way in engaging and sensitising the youth about their right to vote.