Delhi Police has asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to consider closing the entry and exit gates of 57 metro stations from 9 pm on October 9, ahead of proposed protests at Jantar Mantar and other locations in the New Delhi district on October 10.
The request was made in a letter dated October 8, in which the police cited the possibility of unruly crowd movement towards sensitive locations. The communication also proposed reducing the frequency of metro trains passing through the identified stations. The measures, if implemented, would remain in force on October 10 until the situation returns to normal.
The police have asked DMRC to issue necessary directions to its concerned officers and staff. The report does not establish that DMRC has accepted the proposal or that all 57 stations will definitely be closed. Any final operational decision would therefore rest with the metro corporation and would need to be communicated to passengers.
The stations named in the police communication span several Delhi Metro corridors. They include Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Janpath, Mandi House, Supreme Court and New Delhi. Other stations on the list are Kashmere Gate, Jama Masjid, Chawri Bazar, Karol Bagh, Vishwavidyalaya, Hauz Khas, INA, Lajpat Nagar and Sarai Kale Khan-Nizamuddin.
The proposed restrictions also cover Jamia Millia Islamia, Okhla Vihar, Rithala, Rohini East, Rohini West, Shahdara, Welcome and Maujpur. Stations listed in the communication include Inderlok, Seelampur, Jafrabad, Yamuna Vihar, Azadpur, Majlis Park and Haiderpur Badli Mor, among others.
The breadth of the list means that the proposed response is not limited to the immediate protest area around Jantar Mantar. It includes stations in central Delhi as well as locations across several parts of the network. Closing station gates and reducing train frequency could affect passengers using the metro for work, education, medical visits and interchanges, although the police communication does not specify the scale of any disruption.
The request comes ahead of proposed demonstrations scheduled for October 10. Delhi Police has linked the proposed restrictions to crowd movement towards sensitive locations and has asked the DMRC to put appropriate measures in place. The duration of the restrictions is tied to the return of the situation to normal, according to the reported communication.
Further passenger guidance would depend on DMRC’s response and any subsequent directions issued by the authorities. Commuters will need to check official Delhi Metro updates before travelling during the proposed restriction period.
