A Delhi protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party on October 10 is expected to disrupt public transport and movement across the capital, with entry and exit at 57 metro stations set to close from 9 pm on Friday and trains serving two major railway stations cancelled for several hours on Saturday.
The protest is scheduled at Jantar Mantar and is being held to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Protesters are expected to begin arriving at the venue in the morning. Jantar Mantar was also the site of protests in July that, according to the report, culminated in the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The metro restrictions cover stations across central, northern, southern, eastern and western Delhi. Central Delhi and interchange stations affected include Janpath, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Lok Kalyan Marg, Rajiv Chowk, New Delhi, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, ITO, Delhi Gate, Khan Market, R K Ashram Marg and Jhandewalan. Stations including Supreme Court, Indraprastha, Shivaji Stadium, INA, Hauz Khas, Lajpat Nagar, Ashram, Kalindi Kunj and Jasola are also included in the list.
Further closures affect stations such as Jamia Millia Islamia, Okhla Vihar, Chawri Bazar, Jama Masjid, Karol Bagh, Rajendra Place, Vishwavidyalaya, Vidhan Sabha, Civil Lines, Kashmere Gate, Inderlok, Azadpur, Seelampur, Shahdara, Rithala and Rohini West. The extensive list means that the restrictions will affect several interchange points and neighbourhood stations rather than being confined to the protest venue.
Rail services will also be affected. Trains arriving at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations have been cancelled between 4 am and 2 pm on Saturday. The cancellations add a regional dimension to the security plan because both stations are key entry points for passengers travelling into the capital from other cities.
Security preparations extend to Delhi’s borders. In Faridabad, police checkpoints have been established at eight major entry and exit points, including the Badarpur border, Pul Pehladpur, the Shooting Range border and Mangar Chowk. Officials said each checkpoint would be staffed by 30 police personnel working in 12-hour shifts from 10 am to 10 pm to monitor vehicles entering Delhi.
The Chilla border and the Delhi-Noida Direct Flyway on the Uttar Pradesh side are also expected to be heavily guarded. According to a senior police officer cited in the report, vehicles will be stopped for checks, including scrutiny of the number of passengers and whether occupants are carrying posters or banners. The report also said police had checked hotels and guesthouses across the capital and instructed them not to accept new visitors who appeared to be arriving for the protest.
Delhi Police has established detention centres in all 15 districts, with district units ordered to intensify patrolling and stop people travelling towards the protest area. The report said people who refused to turn back could be sent to detention centres. These measures place local police stations and district administrations at the centre of the city’s movement-control plan, extending restrictions beyond Jantar Mantar and the immediate central Delhi area.
All liquor shops in Delhi will remain closed on October 9 and 10. The combined transport, border, accommodation and commercial restrictions are scheduled around the protest and will remain relevant to commuters, railway passengers, businesses and residents planning journeys through the capital. Metro closures begin at 9 pm on Friday, while the reported railway cancellations run from 4 am to 2 pm on Saturday.
