NEW DELHI: Delhi Metro services were suspended for five days in July and four days in Oct, resulting in a drop in passenger boardings – ranging from 6% to 39%.The biggest impact was felt on Oct 10, a Saturday, when entry and exit were suspended at 45 metro stations even as the capital was witnessing protests. As a result, passenger journeys stood at 32.1 lakh that day, against an average weekend ridership of 52.7 lakh, marking a 39.1% decline.In July, the steepest drop of 16.8% was recorded on 24th, a Friday, when 18 metro stations were closed due to an agitation at Jantar Mantar.
A stop-start journey
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) defines passenger boardings as the number of trains used by a commuter to complete a journey.This Wednesday, DMRC informed Supreme Court there were no curtailment or cancellation of metro services and no reduction in the number of trips on Oct 10, with 272 trains operating. However, the closure of entry and exit gates at several metro stations caused severe inconvenience to passengers.As trains did not halt at key stations and skipped four to five consecutive stations on some lines, commuters were forced to alter their travel plans midway.Though five stations were closed on July 20, it recorded an increase in passenger boardings by 1.5% as it was a Monday. DMRC shut some stations for four consecutive days from July 22 to 25, leading to an overall dip in passenger boardings.Even a couple of stations were added to the list of closed stations during daytime, with the sudden closure leaving commuters scrambling for alternatives.Stations were shut for four days this month. Oct 2, a public holiday, reported 40.1 lakh passenger boardings, a dip of 23.9%. It was followed by the closure of metro stations for three straight days.Forty-five stations were closed from 9.30 pm on Oct 9. Passenger boardings that day were recorded at 72.9 lakh, an increase from the average weekday passenger boardings of 69.1 lakh till Sept. Data shows higher passenger boardings were recorded in the run-up to that day: 77.4 lakh on Oct 5, 77.1 lakh on Oct 6, 74.6 lakh on Oct 7 and 75.5 lakh on Oct 8.Oct 11 saw a reduction in passenger boardings by 10.3%. However, after restrictions were lifted, DMRC witnessed a rise on weekdays as compared to average boardings: 77.3 lakh on Oct 12 and 79.8 lakh on Oct 13.In contrast, entry and exit gates were shut at only one metro station once in 2025, that too because of a July deluge as an approach road was flooded.Suspension of metro services has become a recurring feature during protests in the capital in recent years. In Feb 2024, multiple gates at nine metro stations across Delhi were shut owing to a farmers’ agitation.In Jan 2021, 16 stations were shut after protesting farmers entered the city and clashes erupted near Red Fort and ITO. During the peak of anti-CAA and NRC protests in 2019, DMRC temporarily closed nearly 20 stations.“Whenever such closures are announced following directions of police authorities, DMRC keeps updating the information on its official social media handles besides issuing press releases,” a metro official said, adding that announcements are also made inside stations and trains during such closures, besides the display of advisory signage at entry and exit gates of stations.
