- Mandi House, Central Secretariat metro gates reopened after protest.
- Protest led to heavy traffic, internet disruptions in Delhi.
- Students, commuters faced significant inconvenience and travel delays.
Entry gates of Mandi House and Central Secretariat metro stations have now been reopened after being closed as a precautionary measure amid the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Jantar Mantar over NEET paper lea, bringing some relief to commuters in the area.
However, the restrictions around Lutyens’ Delhi severely affected normal life, with heavy traffic jams, police barricading and internet disruptions causing inconvenience to students, parents and office-goers.
Service Update
— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (@OfficialDMRC) July 24, 2026
Entry gates for Mandi House and Central Secretariat metro stations are now open.
Metro Services Disrupted
The authorities closed several stations on Friday, including Jhandewalan, Lok Kalyan Marg, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Ramakrishna Ashram Marg, Barakhamba, Supreme Court, Seva Tirtha, Janpath, Mandi House, Central Secretariat, ITO, Delhi Gate, Indraprastha, Khan Market, Jor Bagh, New Delhi, and Shivaji Stadium from 7.30 am.
Entry gates of Mandi House and Central Secretariat metro stations have now been reopened; however, the other mentioned stations remain closed. The closure has led to inconveniences as thousands of professionals and students travel on this route daily.
Students Face Inconveniences
Due to the traffic congestion in the humid heat near Mandi House, several school vans remained stuck for hours. Many children were seen struggling with the heat, hunger and thirst while waiting inside vehicles caught in the jam.
Sahil, a student at a private school, said, “We have been stuck on Copernicus Road for the past two hours. The exhaust fumes, noise and heat are bothering all the students, but there seems to be no way forward.”
The closure of metro services in the area added to commuters’ problems. Several students, unable to reach their destinations due to traffic jams, reportedly got down and headed towards Jantar Mantar to witness the protest.
Parents also faced difficulties as they drove through congested roads to pick up their children, only to get stuck in the traffic.
A student named Rahul said the internet shutdown created further problems as he was unable to make online payments, book cabs or access taxi and bike services. Many commuters were forced to pool money and use e-rickshaws, which also struggled through the traffic.
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The commuters further alleged that auto drivers were charging heavy fares due to the internet shutdown, leading to disruption in the UPI services. School teachers Rajesh Singh and Amit Kumar stated that they had to travel almost two hours extra to reach their homes.
To avoid the gridlock, several parents were seen walking with their children through the scorching streets, carrying school bags and trying to find alternate routes home.
The scenes of stranded students, worried parents and disrupted traffic highlighted the impact of the security measures taken around the protest site.