Govt shuts Delhi down
25 Dec 2012 6:29 AM IST
If you protest, everybody pays. That seems to be the new mantra of the government. A day after violent protests rocked India Gate, people out and about for their daily work found it next to impossible to reach their destinations.
Unaware that nine Metro stations would stay shut on Monday, hundreds of commuters were in for a rude shock in the morning, unable to emerge from or enter several stations in central Delhi. The closure of major stations - Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhavan, Race Course Road, Khan Market, Rajiv Chowk, Barakhamba Road, Mandi House and Pragati Maidan – created immense confusion.
Rajiv Chowk Metro station alone sees a footfall of about five lakh commuters a day. Office-goers who routinely use the station found themselves having to get off elsewhere.
Later in the evening, Rajiv Chowk and Central Secretariat stations were partially opened, a Metro official said.
‘The stations will remain closed till Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) gets further orders from Delhi Police,’ said Anuj Dayal, DMRC spokesperson.
Metro travellers had to switch to other modes of transport, which added to the chaos. There were huge traffic jams in central and south Delhi, including near ITO, Connaught Place, Mathura Road and roads leading to VIP areas. Security personnel kept Rajpath, the stretch linking India Gate and Raisina Hill leading to Rashtrapati Bhavan, locked down with barricades and heavy deployment of personnel with riot-gear, besides disallowing traffic on Rajpath.
Thousands of commuters were stranded at major intersections. ITO Bridge, one of the major connections in the capital, was clogged with vehicles since morning. Traffic Police said all eight arterial roads that lead to India Gate would remain closed. Buses were packed to the brim. ‘People were barely standing on the footboard,’ said one Rajat Singhal. Auto-rickshaws demanded exorbitant fares.
Unaware that nine Metro stations would stay shut on Monday, hundreds of commuters were in for a rude shock in the morning, unable to emerge from or enter several stations in central Delhi. The closure of major stations - Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhavan, Race Course Road, Khan Market, Rajiv Chowk, Barakhamba Road, Mandi House and Pragati Maidan – created immense confusion.
Rajiv Chowk Metro station alone sees a footfall of about five lakh commuters a day. Office-goers who routinely use the station found themselves having to get off elsewhere.
Later in the evening, Rajiv Chowk and Central Secretariat stations were partially opened, a Metro official said.
‘The stations will remain closed till Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) gets further orders from Delhi Police,’ said Anuj Dayal, DMRC spokesperson.
Metro travellers had to switch to other modes of transport, which added to the chaos. There were huge traffic jams in central and south Delhi, including near ITO, Connaught Place, Mathura Road and roads leading to VIP areas. Security personnel kept Rajpath, the stretch linking India Gate and Raisina Hill leading to Rashtrapati Bhavan, locked down with barricades and heavy deployment of personnel with riot-gear, besides disallowing traffic on Rajpath.
Thousands of commuters were stranded at major intersections. ITO Bridge, one of the major connections in the capital, was clogged with vehicles since morning. Traffic Police said all eight arterial roads that lead to India Gate would remain closed. Buses were packed to the brim. ‘People were barely standing on the footboard,’ said one Rajat Singhal. Auto-rickshaws demanded exorbitant fares.
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