DMRC Closures and Traffic Disruptions Prompt Changes to Ashoka Shuttle Services

In an email to the student body sent on Friday, 9th October, 2026, Ashoka University’s Transport Department announced temporary changes in the timings of the shuttle services between Azadpur Metro Station and Ashoka University. The email specified that the shuttles would operate only until 09:00 p.m. on 9th and 10th October, following a notice issued by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Another email shortly after advised students that traffic congestion on NH-44 at the Haryana-Delhi border may also cause operational delays in the shuttle service.

The Transport Department shared an update on Saturday, 10th October, this afternoon, that shuttle services would be rerouted via Rajiv Gandhi Education City and TDI Lake Grove to Parker Residency and TDI Kingsbury, and the Azadpur Delhi-bound shuttle services would also operate via TDI Lake Grove, returning on the same route.

The DMRC announced the closure of entry and exit gates at 57 stations across Delhi from 09:00 p.m. on 9th October, and continuing throughout today, 10th October, until further notice. This change comes as a response to a request made by the Delhi Police Joint Commissioner for the same, citing safety-related concerns to prevent “unruly mob movements towards sensitive locations”. Interchange facilities remain available at all affected stations except New Delhi.

The restrictions were introduced ahead of a protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar on Saturday, 10th October, 2026, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls. Mobile internet services were also suspended within a 4 kilometer radius of the Janpath-Kartavya Path crossing from 10:00 p.m. on 9th October to 10:00 p.m. on 10th October, following approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The restrictions drew scrutiny from the Supreme Court, which expressed concern that the closure of metro stations and cancellation of trains would disproportionately inconvenience commuters.

The Indian Railways also cancelled all Mail and Express trains scheduled to arrive at or depart from New Delhi and Hazrat Nizmuddun railway stations between 04:00 a.m. and 02:00 p.m. on 10th October. The Namo Bharat stations at Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashoka Nagar were also scheduled to remain closed until 10:00 p.m.

The IT ministry’s advisory earlier today urged social media platforms to inhibit content “likely to cause public disorder”, and also indicated an impending increase in censorship on Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

On Friday, 9th October, at least 14 students intending to attend the CJP protests were reportedly detained while on a train en route to Delhi by the Madhya Pradesh Government Railway Police (GRP) at Itarsi. The GRP justified their detention based on “orders from above”. A High Court notice has been issued to state and police authorities to produce the students on or before 13th October. Other protestors were also reported to have been intercepted and detained at Bhopal and Gwalior, with a senior GRP officer citing at least 30 detainees. Several activists from Gujarat were also detained on Friday, 9th October, either at police stations or in their houses, with some claiming that the police made them sign undertakings to not travel to Delhi for the protest.

[Edited by Ananya Mahnot and Antara Kulkarni.]

[With inputs from Ananya Mahnot.]