New Delhi: People travelling across the National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday described how they have to frequently change modes of transport to reach their destination, walk for kilometres at a stretch, and are even being asked to pay excessive taxi fares amid travel restrictions that have been imposed to prevent the Cockroach Janta Party’s scheduled protest, permission for which has been denied by Delhi Police.
Security has been tightened across the national Capital, including at border areas. Police checks at Seemapuri’s Apsara Border have led to long traffic jams, with commuters forced to leave their taxis and buses and walk towards Delhi as commercial vehicles are denied entry.
A commuter said: “I have already walked nearly a kilometre. The traffic jam is so severe that I got down from the bus and started walking. I am coming from Noida, I need to cross the border and go to Delhi.”
A passenger going to New Delhi Railway Station said that he stands to miss his train given the traffic jam on the roads.
“Had the Metro been operational, it would have been easier,” he told IANS.
A passenger, who was to board a train, said: “We have come from Gwalior and are travelling to Sri Ganganagar. Our train tickets are booked, but we are facing problems finding a taxi from here. Our train departs from Old Delhi Railway Station. Whenever we ask for a taxi, no one is willing to go there. Those who are willing to take us are charging double or triple the usual fare.”
“My entire family is travelling, including the kids. It is necessary to reach on time…no taxi is ready to go. It is more inconvenient because metros are shut. Since the announcement was made yesterday only, we didn’t even have time to plan things,” he complained while speaking to IANS.
Another commuter in Delhi’s Sarita Vihar, said that he faced a lot of difficulties while travelling from Mathura.
“I faced a lot of difficulties while travelling from Mathura, particularly with transportation. First, I took an e-rickshaw to Palwal. From there, I travelled in an auto, but its tyre got punctured. After that, I took a bus to Ballabhgarh. When I found out that the Metro service had resumed from Ballabhgarh, I took the Metro to reach Sarita Vihar. Now I am waiting for a bus here for the last one-and-a half hours,” he said.
“I would say that the difficulties people are facing are unnecessary,” he added.
A woman driver with Delhi Metro’s ‘She Ryds’ said: “The entire Delhi is shut down and blocked. Metro stations are closed from all sides, and roads have been blocked everywhere. Students are facing difficulties…we are riders but are unable to get ride requests. Students are calling us, but how can we reach them? How do we drop them since roads are closed?”
She said that the protesters should be given a particular place rather than making it inconvenient for the public.
Meanwhile, CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by the police from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi while on their way to Jantar Mantar to stage a protest, demanding CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
–IANS–
