Delhi Metro Closes 16 Stations Amid NEET Protests, No Reason Stated

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Thursday announced closure of 16 Delhi metro stations from 7:30 AM till further instructions, clarifying that interchange facilitiy shall remain available at select points.

However, the metro authorities did not state a reason for the closure.

"Below mentioned Metro stations will be closed from 07:30 AM till further instructions. However, Interchange facility shall remain available at Rajiv Chowk, Mandi House and Central Secretariat," it said in a post on X.

Here is the full list of 16 metro stations that shall remain closed starting 7:30 AM on Thursday. This includes key transit points, including Rajiv Chowk, ITO, Mandi House, Delhi Gate metro station, and more.

1. Lok Kalyan Marg

2. Rajiv Chowk

3. Patel Chowk

4. Ramakrishna Ashram Marg

5. Barakhambha Road

6. Supreme Court

7. Seva Teerth

8. Janpath

9. Mandi House

10. Central Secretariat

11. ITO

12. Delhi Gate

13. Indraprastha

14. Khan Market

15. Jor Bagh

16. Shivaji Stadium

DMRC announced a similar closure on Wednesday, citing security reasons, but the stations were later opened in the evening for passenger services.

The announcement comes at a time when the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) is protesting against the NEET paper leak in Delhi, demanding resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Internet shutdown at Jantar Mantar

The CJP has alleged that internet services were shut down around Jantar Mantar where youth supporters have been staging a sit-in, and questioned if the government was preparing for another police crackdown on the agitation.

In a post on X, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said, "Internet service shutdown at Jantar Mantar. Govt planning another brutal crackdown?"

In another post, he appealed to police and paramilitary personnel deployed at the protest site not to use force against demonstrators.

"Appeal to police and paramilitary forces deployed to crush the protest. Do not obey illegal orders that ask you to beat up innocent protesters. This is your test as well. Will you stand with the people, or with authoritarians," he wrote.

CJP protests escalate

Protestors at Jantar Mantar had a brief clash with Delhi Police in the late hours of Wednesday with officials alleging that a Delhi Police officer was injured at Connaught Place when miscreants attacked security personnel with stones and bottles.

According to police officials quoted by ANI, the attack occurred around 8:30 PM near Tolstoy Marg, injuring ACP (Connaught Place) Vivek Bhagat. He was rushed to the RML Hospital, with police stating that the violent situation was brief and tense, and peace has been restored.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Sanjay Yadav accused the Centre of ignoring youth concerns, saying, "Even after such a massive public outcry, if the government insists that student issues shouldn't be politicised, it demonstrates sheer arrogance. This is not the work of a single political party or organisation; it is the youth--suffering from your policies and police crackdowns--who are sitting here in protest."