An Internet shutdown in central Delhi on October 10 disrupted navigation apps, digital payments, app-based transport and hotel access as security restrictions were imposed ahead of a youth-led demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
Commuters and visitors in areas including Janpath and Connaught Place struggled to reach their destinations after losing access to online maps and payment services. Several people travelling to the protest said autorickshaw and taxi drivers dropped them kilometres away because routes were blocked and navigation applications were unavailable.
One passenger told The Hindu that the route to Jantar Mantar had shown as three kilometres before the Internet stopped working, but he was then unable to navigate or pay the autorickshaw driver. An autorickshaw driver, speaking to the newspaper, said he could not determine the route or fare without access to the Internet.
The disruption also affected app-based transport. A protester who had booked a Rapido bike taxi said the driver agreed to let him pay later after both realised that Internet services were unavailable. The driver dropped him at the nearest accessible location.
For autorickshaw drivers operating in Connaught Place, the shutdown coincided with road restrictions that limited both bookings and movement through the area. A driver identified as Jagjit said he usually completed 30 to 40 trips within Connaught Place, but received no app-based bookings on Saturday and was unable to take passengers through several restricted roads.
Visitors unfamiliar with central Delhi faced additional difficulties. Near Shivaji Stadium metro station, a tourist couple with a hotel booking in Connaught Place said police personnel asked them to show proof of their reservation before allowing them to proceed. With Internet access unavailable, they could not open their booking confirmation or retrieve tickets from email and mobile applications.
Other visitors were seen carrying suitcases through Connaught Place while searching for accommodation. A family that had travelled from Jhansi said it had first struggled to find an autorickshaw and was later unable to book a hotel after reaching the area. The family was trying to locate a place to stay while looking for an area with Internet access.
The restrictions were reported as security measures ahead of the demonstration against the special intensive revision of electoral rolls. The reported effects showed how movement through central Delhi increasingly depends on connected services, including digital maps, online bookings, app-based transport and cashless payments. Police barricades and restricted roads further limited the alternatives available to commuters and visitors during the shutdown.
