Double taxi fares, traffic jams trouble Delhi commuters amid protest curbs

Travel restrictions across Delhi and the National Capital Region triggered traffic jams, disrupted public transport and pushed taxi fares higher on Saturday. Commuters reported long walks, difficulty reaching railway stations and delays, while police detained three CJP leaders heading to protest

New Delhi: People travelling across the National Capital Region (NCR) on Saturday described how they had to frequently change modes of transport, walk for kilometres and pay exorbitant taxi fares amid travel restrictions imposed to prevent the Cockroach Janta Party’s scheduled protest, for which Delhi Police had denied permission.

Security has been tightened across the national capital, including in border areas. Police checks at Seemapuri’s Apsara Border have led to long traffic jams, forcing commuters to leave their taxis and buses and walk towards Delhi as commercial vehicles are denied entry.

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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 travelling to New Delhi Railway Station said he was likely to miss his train because of traffic congestion.

“Had the Metro been operational, it would have been easier,” he told IANS.

Another 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 children. It is necessary to reach on time, but no taxi is ready to go. It is more inconvenient because the Metro services are shut. Since the announcement was made only yesterday, we did not even have time to plan things,” he said.

A commuter in Delhi’s Sarita Vihar said he had faced considerable 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 Metro services had resumed from Ballabhgarh, I took the Metro to reach Sarita Vihar. Now I have been waiting for a bus here for the last one-and-a-half hours,” he said.

“The difficulties people are facing are unnecessary,” he added.

A woman driver with Delhi Metro’s ‘She Ryds’ service 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 when roads are closed?”

She said the protesters should be allotted a designated place rather than causing inconvenience to the public.

Meanwhile, CJP leaders Abhijeet Dipke, Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka were detained by the police at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi while on their way to Jantar Mantar to stage a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.