New Delhi: Delhi Metro suspended operations at 17 of its stations across central Delhi for seven and a half hours Wednesday on the directions of police, citing security reasons and inconveniencing thousands of commuters.Trains passed through the affected non-interchange stations without halting, leaving many stranded on platforms and inside trains. It was only at 6.25 pm that all the stations were opened.In a post on X at 10.53 am, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said that four stations — Janpath, Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat and Patel Chowk — were closed for security reasons, though interchange facilities were available. Within half an hour, 12 more stations — Lok Kalyan Marg, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, Barakhambha Road, Supreme Court, Seva Teerth, Mandi House, ITO, Delhi Gate, Indraprastha, Khan Market, Jor Bagh and Shivaji Stadium — were shut. So was Jhandewalan later in the day.The sudden closure of the stations left commuters scrambling for alternatives. Sunil Singh, who was travelling from AIIMS to ITO, said he found himself unable to get off at his destination after stations along the route were shut. “When I changed to Violet Line at Central Secretariat, an announcement was made that only Janpath station was closed. However, when the train did not stop at ITO and Delhi Gate, I got down at Jama Masjid. I then boarded another train towards Mandi House so that I could take an auto from there, but after reaching Mandi House, I learnt that only interchange was allowed and passengers could not exit the station,” he said. Singh eventually took another train back to Jama Masjid, wasting over 30 minutes in search of an alternative route.The closures led to confusion and crowding at several stations as well. A commuter, Mohit Yadav, said the situation turned chaotic. “I could not exit Mandi House station and had to return to the platform, which was chock-a-block with passengers waiting to travel back after learning they could not exit,” he said.The closure of metro stations as a precautionary measure during protests has become a recurring feature in Delhi in recent years. In Feb 2024, multiple gates at nine metro stations across Delhi were shut in view of the farmers’ protest. In Jan 2021, 16 stations were shut after protesting farmers entered the city and clashes erupted near Red Fort and ITO. During the peak of the anti-CAA and NRC protests in 2019, DMRC had temporarily closed nearly 20 stations.The impact of Wednesday’s closure of station was felt beyond the metro network. Congestion was reported across key stretches, including Janpath Road, Tolstoy Road and Mandi House, with traffic police diverting vehicles to Janpath onto alternate routes to manage the heavy traffic volume.Rajesh, who was headed for work, was stopped by a cop at the Windsor Place roundabout and asked to turn back just before he was to enter Janpath Road. “If you take this route, you’ll get stuck ahead. There is a protest going on, and traffic has spilled onto to surrounding roads,” the cop told him.Commuters across New Delhi echoed his experience as protests and heightened security triggered road closures, diversions and traffic snarls. Parliament Street, the stretch towards Patel Chowk, Raisina Road, Red Cross Road and even a portion of Tolstoy Road were among the roads closed, leading to congestion on Janpath Road, Ashoka Road and roads around Jantar Mantar.Barricades at some places slowed traffic. “Multiple police checkpoints on most roads in South Delhi leading to the Jantar Mantar protest site have triggered massive traffic jams,” a commuter posted on X.Though Delhi Traffic Police did not issue a fresh advisory Wednesday, sources said restrictions continued under a traffic advisory issued because of the monsoon session of Parliament. Commuters had been advised to avoid roads around Parliament House, Central Secretariat and Raisina Hill, including Rafi Marg, Parliament Street, Ashoka Road and Raisina Road.