Railways cancel trains to Delhi stations amid October 10 protest preparations

Indian Railways has ordered the cancellation of mail and express trains scheduled to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations on the morning of October 10, citing the likelihood of severe traffic congestion around the two stations.

The cancellations will affect trains departing from their originating stations after 2 pm on October 9 and due to reach either of the two stations between 4 am and 2 pm on October 10. The trains will be cancelled at their originating stations, according to people familiar with the matter.

“Severe congestion is expected in Delhi, leading to major disruptions due to blocked roads. To avoid passenger inconvenience, the Railways has taken this tough decision,” sources said.

The decision comes amid preparations for a planned protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The demonstration is expected to draw a large crowd, with the organisers accusing the CEC of facilitating alleged “vote theft” at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Delhi Police seeks metro restrictions ahead of protest

Railway services are not the only part of the capital's transport network facing possible disruption. The Delhi Police has reportedly asked the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to consider closing entry and exit gates at 57 metro stations from Friday night, October 9, ahead of the planned demonstrations on Saturday.

In a letter dated October 8, the Joint Commissioner of Police, Transport Range, said the frequency of metro trains at the identified stations could also be reduced. The proposed measures are intended to address concerns about unruly crowd movement towards sensitive locations, according to an earlier report by Hindustan Times.

The restrictions have been proposed to begin at 9 pm on October 9 and remain in force through October 10, until the situation returns to normal.

DMRC managing director asked to implement proposed measures

The letter was addressed to DMRC managing director Vikas Kumar and requested that the corporation issue the necessary directions to its officers and staff to implement the proposed restrictions.

The measures form part of wider security preparations around Jantar Mantar and other locations in the New Delhi district, where protests are planned for October 10.

With both rail and metro services potentially affected, commuters travelling to central Delhi have been advised through reports to account for possible disruption and check the latest transport updates before setting out.