The records of DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) have revealed that metro stations were temporarily closed for as many as 38 times in the last four years on different occasions. Most of the closures occurred due to frequent protests by one group or the other.
The data further elaborates that 24 times the stations were closed owing to security concerns, while six times, it was done for official purpose. On two occasions, the metro stations were closed for VIP movement.
The metro stations were closed for two occasions for VIP movement. In a rare incident, on July 2013, the Saket metro station was closed due to water dripping in the platform area. The commuters were worse affected in January 2014 when four metro stations had to be shut the same day due to a protest demonstration by a political party.
In June 2014, four metro stations were closed for security reasons after UPSC aspirants protested and marched towards the Prime Minister’s residence. Many commuters complained that they had to walk for more than 2 km to reach to a station that was open.
The two metro stations were also shut on 31 March, 2014 for fear of vandalism, after people in huge numbers gathered at the disputed site in the vicinity of Delhi’s two historic monuments — Lodhi Garden and the Safdarjang Tomb.
According to the DMRC, commuters are informed in advance if a closure of any station is pre-planed.
‘The message is conveyed through media or making prior announcements at stations’, said a DMRC official.
In case of sudden closure, the message is conveyed inside the metro and also through electronic media’, he added.