Delhi Police has asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to shut 57 metro stations across Delhi-NCR from 9 pm on Friday, October 9, ahead of proposed protests in and around Jantar Mantar and New Delhi. The stations may remain closed on Saturday, October 10, until the situation returns to normal.
The request was made in a letter from Delhi Police Transport Range Joint Commissioner Rajneesh Gupta to the managing director of DMRC. According to a report by Jagran – New Delhi, the police cited security concerns and the possibility of large crowds behaving in an uncontrolled manner around sensitive areas of central Delhi.
The proposed restrictions are linked to a planned protest at Jantar Mantar called by the Citizens’ Justice Platform, or CJP, as well as continuing demonstrations organised by the Congress-led INDIA bloc. Police have identified Jantar Mantar and parts of the New Delhi district as sensitive locations for Saturday’s activity.
The requested closure would affect a substantial part of the metro system and could disrupt journeys for commuters travelling through central Delhi, including those using stations to reach government offices, commercial areas, railway connections and other public facilities. The report also said train frequency could be reduced as part of the security arrangements, although the supplied report did not provide details of the affected lines or the revised timetable.
The police decision follows disruption during a CJP demonstration in July, when thousands of protesters reportedly reached the New Delhi district despite security arrangements. Some metro stations had to be closed during that episode. Authorities are now seeking preventive measures before the proposed gatherings rather than waiting for crowd movement to intensify.
The request places DMRC at the centre of an operational decision that will have consequences beyond the protest locations. Metro stations are often used as access points to central Delhi, and closures can shift commuter demand to roads, buses, auto-rickshaws and railway stations. The number and location of the 57 stations will determine whether the disruption remains concentrated around New Delhi or affects wider interchange and residential corridors.
The police letter asks for the stations to be closed from Friday night until conditions become normal on Saturday. DMRC’s final operational decision, the list of affected stations and the timing of any restoration were not provided in the report. Commuters will need to check official DMRC updates before travelling through central Delhi during the protest period.
