The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has closed entry and exit gates at 11 key stations due to planned protests at Jantar Mantar. Political groups and student organizations are demonstrating against the Election Commission over alleged electoral roll irregularities. While interchange services remain available at major hubs, commuters in central Delhi face significant travel restrictions today.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has restricted operations at 11 major stations across the city on Friday, October 2, 2026, as part of heightened security measures. These restrictions were implemented early in the day due to protests planned by political and student organizations at Jantar Mantar.
The affected stations include key hubs such as Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, New Delhi, Mandi House, Janpath, Patel Chowk, Seva Teerth, Lok Kalyan Marg, INA, Chawri Bazar, and Ramakrishna Ashram Marg. For passengers, this means that while trains continue to pass through these stations, all entry and exit gates have been closed to the public. However, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has confirmed that interchange facilities remain fully functional, allowing commuters to switch between different metro lines at these junction points without exiting the system.
The demonstrations are organized by various groups, including the Aam Aadmi Party and student bodies like the All India Students’ Association. The protesters are calling for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Their concerns center on the recent Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with allegations that the process resulted in the mass deletion of voters, which they claim compromises the integrity of the election process.
In response to these gatherings, the Delhi Police have significantly increased the security presence in central Delhi, deploying Central Armed Police Forces and the Rapid Action Force to manage the situation. These measures have also led to restricted vehicular movement in the surrounding areas of Lutyens' Delhi. The security focus remains on preventing large crowds from gathering or marching toward prohibited zones, which has directly impacted the accessibility of public transport in the heart of the national capital.
For daily commuters, these disruptions mean that transit through central Delhi is more difficult than usual on this public holiday. The operational status of the closed stations will depend on the ground situation as the day progresses and directives from the local administration. Commuters are advised to monitor official communications from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation for real-time updates regarding the restoration of entry and exit services at the impacted stations.