New Delhi: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has told the Supreme Court that there was no reduction in the number of Metro train trips on October 10, despite restrictions on entry and exit at several stations ahead of a proposed protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
In a compliance affidavit filed before the apex court, the DMRC said 271 trains were inducted into service, and all 4,157 scheduled train trips were operated across the network on October 10, maintaining the standard Saturday schedule.
The affidavit, filed by DMRC General Manager (Legal) Group Captain Sanjay Vinayakrao Kute (Retd.), was submitted in compliance with the Supreme Court’s October 9 order directing the DMRC, railway authorities and Delhi Police (Traffic) to file compliance reports on the operation of public transport services in the national capital.
The DMRC said the Delhi Police had initially directed the closure of entry and exit gates at 57 stations out of the total 303 stations in the Delhi-NCR Metro network. However, following the Supreme Court’s intervention, the number of affected stations was reduced to 45 through a modified communication issued on October 9.
“The entire Metro network comprises 303 stations. The notification dated 08.10.2026, which appears to have been placed before this Hon’ble Court, did not impose a complete ban on public transportation. It merely directed the closure of 57 out of the 303 stations for entry and exit purposes,” the compliance report stated. The DMRC said restrictions on entry and exit were confined to 45 stations, accounting for around 15 per cent of the network, while the remaining 258 stations, or over 85 per cent, continued to remain operational and accessible to commuters.
It further said that 14 key interchange stations among those affected, including Rajiv Chowk, Kashmere Gate, Central Secretariat, Mandi House, Hauz Khas, Dilli Haat-INA and Netaji Subhash Place, continued to provide uninterrupted line-interchange facilities.
The affidavit stated that commuters were able to change Metro corridors without disruption and that alternative stations remained open to minimise inconvenience to passengers. The affidavit said the entry and exit restrictions at all 45 stations were lifted from 10 p.m. on October 10 after the DMRC received directions from the Delhi Police to reopen them.
However, it added that the police authorities issued fresh communications on October 12 directing the closure of entry and exit facilities at six Metro stations between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. The closure period was subsequently extended until 5 p.m. on the same day.
On the functioning of stations such as GTB Nagar and Vishwavidyalaya, the DMRC said there was no complete prohibition on passenger movement and that arrangements had been made to facilitate the exit of commuters arriving by train. It said the exit gates at Vishwavidyalaya Metro Station remained operational, while passenger movement at GTB Nagar was regulated by personnel deployed on the ground, with Gate No. 3 kept open to facilitate passengers leaving the station.
The DMRC also detailed the steps taken to disseminate information about the restrictions, including regular updates on its official social media handles, announcements through the Operations Control Centre and train operators, advisory signages at station gates, and updates on its website and the DMRC Sarthi app.
It said additional staff and ground marshals were deployed at major interchange stations to guide commuters, manage passenger flows and minimise inconvenience. The network was monitored in real time in coordination with police authorities.
The affidavit further disclosed that approximately 32 lakh passengers travelled on the Metro network on October 10, against around 58 lakh passengers on a normal second Saturday.
The DMRC said the lower ridership could be attributed to the proposed protest, which appeared to have prompted many commuters to avoid travelling and refrain from their usual daily activities, including attending work or conducting business.
The affidavit said the DMRC would continue to act in accordance with security assessments and directions issued by law enforcement agencies while ensuring the smooth functioning of the Metro network, subject to requirements for maintaining law and order.
The development comes amid contempt petitions alleging wilful disobedience of the Supreme Court’s October 9 directions concerning restrictions on Metro and railway services ahead of the proposed protest against CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
On October 9, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant observed that the restrictions appeared to be “overreaching” and clarified that there should be no outright prohibition on the movement of Metro trains. The apex court had directed the authorities to permit Metro and other railway services to operate in a suitably regulated manner, in accordance with the principle of proportionality, and to issue traffic advisories to prevent inconvenience to commuters.
On October 11, a Bench of Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, hearing a clutch of contempt petitions alleging wilful disobedience of the earlier order, directed that Metro and railway services should function normally unless restrictions became necessary due to a disturbance to public order.
The Supreme Court also sought details of the affected Metro stations and directed the authorities to file compliance reports explaining their adherence to the earlier directions.
The proposed protest had prompted the Delhi Police to impose restrictions in parts of the national capital, citing concerns over public safety, traffic management and law and order.
(IANS)
