Hundreds of passengers were left stranded as Rajiv Chowk, Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat and Seva Teerth metro stations were closed due to security concerns (Image-Social Media)
NEW DELHI: Chaos gripped central Delhi on Monday as the closure of five key metro stations ahead of the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) Parliament march left hundreds of commuters stranded, sparked crowding outside locked gates and forced some passengers to jump AMC barriers to exit stations.Hundreds of passengers were left stranded as Rajiv Chowk, Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat and Seva Teerth metro stations were closed due to security concerns, according to news agency PTI.Crowds gathered outside shuttered entry and exit points, while videos circulating on social media showed commuters climbing over barricades and locked AMC gates to leave stations after access points were sealed.At Rajiv Chowk, one of Delhi’s busiest interchange stations, large numbers of commuters were seen crowding near closed gates, seeking alternative routes to reach their destinations.Outside Janpath station, students, office-goers and other passengers waited for information from metro staff and security personnel as confusion spread over the sudden closure.“I left home nearly an hour earlier than usual to avoid the Monday rush, but now I have to walk to another metro station. It will take me at least another 30 to 40 minutes to reach my office,” said Amit Sharma, a commuter.College student Riya Verma, who had arrived at Janpath station with two classmates, said they were caught off guard by the closure.“We reached the station only to find the gates locked. For a few minutes, nobody knew what was happening. Now we are trying to figure out another route to reach college,” she said.The disruption intensified near Patel Chowk Metro Station, where security personnel used mild force to disperse people attempting to move towards Jantar Mantar, the designated protest site of the CJP.Meanwhile, Delhi Police used sticks and batons to stop hundreds of students and youth activists marching from Mandi House Metro Station towards Jantar Mantar, eyewitnesses said.Accoridng to news agency PTI, the protesters, including a large number of women, raised slogans against the Centre as they attempted to proceed towards the protest venue.Heavy deployment of police personnel was witnessed across central Delhi, particularly around key metro stations and routes leading to Jantar Mantar.Security forces erected barricades and restricted movement in several areas to prevent demonstrators from advancing.DMRC announced on X on Monday morning that Rajiv Chowk, Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat and Seva Teerth metro stations would remain closed until further instructions due to security reasons. The move came amid heightened security arrangements for the CJP’s planned march to Parliament.As metro services remained restricted, many commuters were seen checking navigation apps, calling family members and colleagues, or seeking directions from metro officials and police personnel. Several chose to walk to nearby operational stations, while others switched to buses, auto-rickshaws and cabs to continue their journeys.The station closures, crowd congestion, reports of baton-charge and visuals of passengers scaling locked gates turned the morning commute into a major disruption across parts of the national capital.
