Delhi ‘Jam’! 17 metro stations closed, roads barricaded and people stuck in traffic for hours

The ongoing protests at Jantar-Mantar in Delhi and tight security arrangements had a major impact on public life in central Delhi on Thursday. Police barricaded several major roads in view of the protests, while 17 metro stations were closed for security reasons. As a result, thousands of commuters were stuck in traffic jams for hours and normal journeys took twice as long.
Long queues of vehicles were seen in areas including Vikas Marg, Parliament Marg, Tolstoy Marg, Outer Circle of Connaught Place, Patel Chowk, India Gate Circle, DDU Marg, Minto Road and ITO Tunnel. The traffic situation worsened as part of the road was closed near the ITO tunnel. A passenger traveling from Noida to Mandi House said that the journey that normally takes 45 minutes took over 1.5 hours on Thursday. People on social media demanded a public advisory on traffic before closing the roads.
DMRC closed 17 metro stations including Lok Kalyan Marg, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, Barakhamba Road, Supreme Court, Seva Teerth, Janpath, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, ITO, Delhi Gate, Indraprastha, Khan Market, Jor Bagh, Shivaji Stadium and Zandewalan for security reasons. Buses, autos and cabs came under heavy pressure after metro services stopped. Passengers had to wait for an extra 40 to 45 minutes. Traders at Connaught Place were also advised to close shops and restaurants by 6:30 pm following police advice.
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) has been protesting at Jantar-Mantar for over a month now. The protest has been going on demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged paper leaks and examination irregularities. Security has been tightened in the capital in view of the protests. However, the common people, commuters and traders of Delhi had to face a lot of hardship due to the security arrangements.