Police-Metro confusion shuts down Delhi Metro station
19 Feb 2014 5:09 AM IST
A Metro station in Delhi was shut for the better part of Monday following poor communication between police and the Metro administration in view of protests over the contentious Telangana issue.
Delhi Metro closed the Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan stations at 9 am but opened the former — a busy interchange — within 12 minutes.
But Udyog Bhawan remained shut till about 5 in the evening, inconveniencing thousands, until police — who claimed they were not aware it had been shut — told Delhi Metro it too could be opened.
Delhi Metro explained that police had told them on Sunday evening that three stations — Race Course, Udyog Bhawan and Central Secretariat — needed to be shut Monday to prevent pro- and anti-Telangana protesters from massing near parliament.
In the absence of fresh instructions from police Monday, Delhi Metro closed only two stations but opened Central Secretariat within 12 minutes.
Police later said that they were not aware that Udyog Bhawan station was shut, and one officer even wondered why it was closed.
‘Even if we needed to close the metro stations to prevent people from gathering near parliament, nothing could be achieved by closing only Udyog Bhawan station,’ the officer said. Surprised to learn that Udyog Bhawan station was shut, police hurriedly told Delhi Metro to open it — and this was done promptly.
Police sources said that they did not feel the need to close any Metro station because the pro- and anti-Telangana protesters remained confined to the Jantar Mantar area and made no effort to go towards parliament as had been feared. By the time the police-Metro confusion ended, thousands of people had to give the Udyog Bhawan station a slip — and walk a little extra to their offices.
Delhi Metro closed the Central Secretariat and Udyog Bhawan stations at 9 am but opened the former — a busy interchange — within 12 minutes.
But Udyog Bhawan remained shut till about 5 in the evening, inconveniencing thousands, until police — who claimed they were not aware it had been shut — told Delhi Metro it too could be opened.
Delhi Metro explained that police had told them on Sunday evening that three stations — Race Course, Udyog Bhawan and Central Secretariat — needed to be shut Monday to prevent pro- and anti-Telangana protesters from massing near parliament.
In the absence of fresh instructions from police Monday, Delhi Metro closed only two stations but opened Central Secretariat within 12 minutes.
Police later said that they were not aware that Udyog Bhawan station was shut, and one officer even wondered why it was closed.
‘Even if we needed to close the metro stations to prevent people from gathering near parliament, nothing could be achieved by closing only Udyog Bhawan station,’ the officer said. Surprised to learn that Udyog Bhawan station was shut, police hurriedly told Delhi Metro to open it — and this was done promptly.
Police sources said that they did not feel the need to close any Metro station because the pro- and anti-Telangana protesters remained confined to the Jantar Mantar area and made no effort to go towards parliament as had been feared. By the time the police-Metro confusion ended, thousands of people had to give the Udyog Bhawan station a slip — and walk a little extra to their offices.
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