City heaves sigh of relief as Metro services come back to life

Following the Jat leaders' decision to postpone their agitation, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Sunday announced that Metro services will return to its normal routine on Monday.

On Monday, Metro stations in Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad will remain open. Late on Sunday, the ban on exits from four stations in Yellow Line, namely Central Secretariat, Patel Chowk, Udyog Bhavan and Lok Kalyan Marg was also removed.

The DMRC on Saturday had announced that Metro trains will not travel beyond the city's borders from 11.30 pm on Sunday until further notice. Additionally, 12 stations, namely Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Lok Kalyan Marg, Janpath, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, R K Ashram Marg, Pragati Maidan, Khan Market and Shivaji Stadium in Central Delhi were set up to stay closed for the public from Sunday night 8 pm till further order, stated the order. However, entry will be allowed at these stations, an advisory by Delhi Metro announced.

In a bid to foil the entry of Jat agitators into the state capital, Delhi Police curtailed the Metro train services to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

"Even though the Jat agitation has been called off, police teams are still on alert and it is advised to metro commuters to avoid the New Delhi Metro Station as there are several barricades erected outside the metro premises," said Garima Bhatnagar, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic.

The protest call had set alarm bells ringing in Delhi as Parliament is in session. There were apprehensions that normal life in Delhi will severely be hit, notwithstanding the fact that students will be taking their board examinations on Monday.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday also held talks with the agitating Jat leaders from the state on the quota issue.

The decision followed several rounds of parleys in Delhi between the government and prominent Jat leaders spearheading the community's agitation in neighbouring Haryana.

Later in the day, All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (AIJASS) chairperson Yashpal Malik said: "Our agitation and March towards Delhi has been called off."

Jats are demanding reservations in government jobs and educational institutions, besides withdrawal of criminal cases registered against several youths of the community, release of those lodged in jail and compensation and government jobs to the next of kin of those killed in last year's agitation.

"While taking the precautionary measures to make the Metro safe, CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) will put high vigil at all the four Metro stations that leads to Parliament. We have not received any official order from the Delhi police regarding Jat protest being called off,' said a CISF official.