The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Thursday morning announced the closure of 16 stations until further notice, citing "security reasons", as large crowds gathered at Jantar Mantar for the ongoing student-led protests.
However, interchange facilities remain available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House and Central Secretariat metro stations.
In a post on X, the DMRC said: "Lok Kalyan Marg, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, Barakhamba Road, Supreme Court, Seva Teerth, Janpath, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, ITO, Delhi Gate, Indraprastha, Khan Market, Jor Bagh and Shivaji Stadium metro stations have been closed till further instructions."
The same stations were shut on Wednesday, too, before reopening after nearly eight hours in the evening. The closures left thousands of office-goers, students and other commuters stranded as trains skipped the affected stations.
Several commuters reported delays in reaching workplaces, colleges and other appointments after discovering that their destination stations had been closed. Many were seen checking navigation apps, calling family members and booking cabs outside operational stations, while long queues formed at nearby bus stops and autorickshaw stands.
The metro station closures first began on Monday after thousands gathered in central Delhi in response to the Cockroach Janata Party's (CJP) call for a march to Parliament over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations.
Opposition leaders criticised the BJP-led government over the repeated station closures, arguing that it should have engaged with the students' concerns instead of disrupting public transport.
Hundreds of students have been protesting at Jantar Mantar since July 20, when police stopped a "Sansad Chalo" march and used batons and tear gas to disperse demonstrators. Several protesters and police personnel were injured during the clashes.
The protesters are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and other competitive entrance tests.
