Commuters face hardship as 20 metro stations shut due to anti-CAA protests

Commuters had a harrowing time travelling across the NCR on Thursday as 20 metro stations were closed for different durations due to several protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

One of the busiest stations, Rajiv Chowk, was also closed for two hours.

Arzoo Gupta, an IT professional who was travelling from Noida to ITO, said it was almost impossible for her to reach her destination.

"When I reached Mandi House, I was told it has been closed then when I went to Janpath metro, it was closed too. Finally when I reached Rajiv Chowk, entry and exit gates were shut there also. I reached my office after struggling for two hours. Never have I ever seen Delhi like this," she said.

Her friend Sneha Singh said she faced a similar problem while travelling from Vaishali when all major stations were closed.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had closed entry and exit gates of 20 stations, including Delhi Gate, in view of the anti-CAA protests.

All metro stations, excluding Jamia Millia Islamia and Jasola Vihar Shaheen Bagh, were later opened by the DMRC.

Many commuters complained that auto-rickshaw drivers charged almost double the usual fares and even cab aggregators had hiked their prices.

Usha Desai, a media professional, said she had to pay double the charge when she boarded an auto-rickshaw from RK Ashram marg to her office on Sansad Marg.

"Usually, I get down at Central Secretariat to reach office. But when I learnt that it is closed, I decided to get down at Janpath but by the time I reached there it had also been closed. Even Rajiv Chowk was closed, so I de-boarded at RK Ashram Marg and took an auto which charged me Rs 100. The usual fare is Rs 40," she said.

Prannoy Raikhy, a legal associate at a private company in Vasant Vihar, had a similar tale to narrate as he had to wait for 40 minutes for a cab.

He takes a metro from Janakpuri to Vasant Vihar every day but on Thursday he had to get off a few stations before as Vasant Vihar metro station was closed.

"Munirka station is also close to my office but it was shut. I was not able to use Shankar Vihar station, which is the second nearest station to my office, since it is inaccessible to civilians owing to its location in an Army area," he said.

Raikhy rued that he had to get off at IGI airport station following which he waited for a cab for about 40 minutes and paid a higher fare.

Senior opposition leaders, students and activists were detained by police on their way to two mega demonstrations against the new citizenship law as prohibitory orders and restrictions on internet and mobile phone services in parts of Delhi-NCR region inconvenienced thousands of people.

Two protests were scheduled in the national capital, one by students and activists and the other by left parties. The two marches were to meet at Shaheed Park near ITO.