Delhi Metro Update: DMRC says entry and exit of all stations now open amid protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar | Today’s news
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Saturday announced that entry and exit facilities at all metro stations across its network have been restored, ending restrictions imposed earlier in the day amid the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
In a service update, DMRC said, “Entry and exit gates of all metro stations in the Delhi Metro network are now open. Exchange facility is also available at all affected metro stations.”
The announcement came hours after the corporation extended the closure of 45 metro stations till 10 pm on October 10. The stations were closed from 9pm on Friday and were originally expected to reopen at 6pm on Saturday.
Quick answers to key questions
•4 QUESTIONS
Yes. DMRC said entry and exit gates at all stations on the network were opened on Saturday. Exchange facilities were also available at all stations.
The restrictions were imposed at the request of the Delhi Police during the CJP’s protest against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The protest was over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the SIR exercise.
DMRC initially restricted entry and exit at 57 stations, then reduced the number to 45. The affected stations included Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, ITO and New Delhi.
The restriction on 45 stations has been extended until 10pm on October 10 after it was originally expected to end at 6pm. DMRC later announced that all stations were open.
In its earlier advisory, the DMRC said the situation would be reviewed by security agencies before issuing further updates.
The restrictions were imposed at the request of the Delhi Police in view of the CJP’s demonstration against Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and the Special Intensive Review (SIR) exercise.
Read also | CJP Protests: Why were the lawyers fired? Here is what CJI Surya Kant had to say
The initial recommendation covered 57 metro stations, but the DMRC subsequently reduced the number of stations facing entry and exit restrictions to 45. The affected stations included key locations such as Rajiv Chowk, Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Janpath, Mandi House, ITO, Kashmir Gate and New Delhi.
Read also | Delhi protest: Is your name on the voter list? Your guide to the controversial SIR
Exchange facilities have been allowed at the affected stations as per an earlier notification, except at the New Delhi Metro station.
Leaders of INDIA block detained
The metro restrictions came amid heightened security in the state capital as several opposition leaders and activists tried to join the CJP’s protest at Jantar Mantar.
Former chief ministers Mamata Banerjee, Pinarayi Vijayan and Manik Sarkar were among those detained by the Delhi Police on Saturday. The protesters demanded Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls.
Read also | Jantar Mantar CJP Protest: Dipke, Ranka, Das reach Delhi
Other detained leaders were CPI(M) general secretary MA Baby, Left veteran Brinda Karat, CPI(ML) Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, activist Yogendra Yadav and lawyer Prashant Bhushan.
Kejriwal detained, later released
Former Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal was detained outside his Lodhi Estate residence while he was marching towards Jantar Mantar with AAP leaders and workers. When the police moved to take him away, party workers tried to prevent his arrest. The police officers picked him up by his legs and chest and carried him to the police bus. He was released on Saturday night.
Those detained along with him included Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, Delhi AAP chief Saurabh Bharadwaj, MLA Kuldeep Kumar and the party’s national media chief Anurag Dhanda. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai was also detained during protests outside the AAP office.
Before his detention, Kejriwal appealed to youth across the country to protest against alleged electoral malpractices.
CJP activist demands detention at Delhi airport
Earlier in the day, CJP activist Abhijeet Dipke, who traveled from Mumbai to Delhi to take part in the demonstration, shared a video on Instagram in which he claimed that the police detained him and his associates as they disembarked from a flight at the Delhi airport.
The CJP also claimed that content creator Dhruv Rathee had been detained and said, “The dictator is TERRIFIED of the youth questioning his wrongdoing and refusing to remain silent.”
As part of the security measures, the New Delhi district has been divided into 20 operational zones, with dedicated detention centers set up for each zone, police said.
(With input from agencies)
