Delhi Metro Rail Corp announced the closure of 57 metro stations and Indian Railways suspended services at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations from 4 am to 2 pm Saturday, Oct 10, as authorities brace for a youth‑led protest at Jantar Mantar.
The protest, organized by the Cockroach Janta Party, seeks the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision drive. CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke pledged to march regardless of the closures.
Under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which replaces Section 144 of the CrPC, Delhi Police can impose temporary restrictions to prevent violence, riots, or unlawful assemblies.
The 57 stations, spanning the Yellow, Red, Blue, Pink, Violet, Magenta, and Airport lines—including Janpath, New Delhi, and Shivaji Stadium—will remain closed from 9 pm on Friday, Oct 9, through Saturday, Oct 10; interchange facilities will stay open except at New Delhi station.
A daily commuter, 32‑year‑old Meera Gupta, said she will now take a longer route via Rajiv Chowk and a bus to reach her office, adding that the sudden closures are "a logistical nightmare."
DMRC will resume services when security conditions allow; commuters are urged to monitor official channels for updates and explore alternate train hubs like Old Delhi or Anand Vihar.
Namo Bharat stations Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar also closed from 9 pm Oct 9 to 10 pm Oct 10, but train services between Anand Vihar and Modipuram will continue as scheduled.
Mail and Express trains slated to arrive during the suspended window at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin will be cancelled at their originating stations; passengers can seek refunds via the IRCTC portal.
Earlier this year, Delhi shut 16 stations in July over a CJP march to Parliament, showing a pattern of pre‑emptive transport restrictions in response to large rallies.
Commuters who rely on the affected lines are advised to use nearby unaffected stations and plan for extra travel time due to expected traffic congestion around central Delhi.