The Railways has cancelled all Mail and Express trains scheduled to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m. on October 10, citing anticipated severe road traffic congestion linked to a planned protest in the national capital.
The Ministry of Railways issued the instruction to all zonal railways a day before the protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party-led CJP, which is demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The affected trains are those starting from their originating stations after 2 p.m. on October 9 and scheduled to reach either of the two Delhi stations during the specified 10-hour window.
The directive does not cover all railway services entering Delhi. Trains arriving from other States at Anand Vihar and Old Delhi railway stations are scheduled to operate as usual, according to the report. The distinction shifts some of the disruption away from the two central terminals, but passengers whose journeys were planned through New Delhi or Hazrat Nizamuddin will need to check their individual service status before travelling.
Several Rajdhani services are also affected. Eastern Railway announced the cancellation of Rajdhani Express trains from Howrah and Sealdah to New Delhi. Two Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express trains departing from Mumbai have been rescheduled, while Western Railway has also cancelled an express service, according to the details reported by The Hindu.
The railway action follows wider security and traffic measures being considered by Delhi authorities. The Delhi Police denied permission for the protest at Jantar Mantar, a designated location for demonstrations, stating that conditions included in an undertaking during an earlier protest had not been met.
The police have also requested that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation shut 57 stations from 9 p.m. on October 9 until October 10, citing the possibility of “unruly mob movement towards sensitive locations”. The request was made in a letter sent on October 8 by Rajneesh Gupta, Joint Commissioner of Police for the Transport Range. The police said metro train frequency passing through the stations could also be reduced on October 10, depending on the situation.
The measures illustrate how a protest-related security assessment can extend beyond the demonstration site and affect the capital’s transport network. New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin are among the city’s principal long-distance rail terminals, while the Metro serves as a key link between railway stations, central areas and residential districts. Any simultaneous restriction on rail and urban transit services could require passengers to alter routes or allow additional travel time.
The Railways’ instruction specifically covers trains arriving between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m. on October 10. Passengers travelling on affected Mail, Express or Rajdhani services should rely on updates from the relevant zonal railway and check whether their train has been cancelled or rescheduled before proceeding to the station.
