Eighteen Metro stations in the Capital will remain shut on Saturday, officials of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said late Friday, extending the closure that started at 7.30am on Friday, as people continue to pour into Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party.
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Officials said that the18 stations will remain shut from 7.30am on Saturday. These are at 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, Shivaji Stadium, Jhandewalan and New Delhi.
On Friday, entry gates to the Mandi House, Rajiv Chowk and Central Secretariat Metro stations were opened by 9 pm.
People in the evening were seen striggling to get back to home, many walked on foot while autorickshaws charged exhorbitant rates. Radhika Sahu, a participant said that getting to protest site was easier. “The internet is down so we cant book any cab. Metro stations are closed. They should at least allow buses closer to this area,” she added.
DMRC officials said this is probably one of the longest closures, hours wise of so many metro stations.
“While there are no records to show whether this is the longest, continuous closure over a period, hours-wise, it could be one of the longest, if not the longest,” the official said.
The other stations were closed at 7.30 am this morning, while the New Delhi metro station was closed later in the day.
