Two Delhi metro stations shut as protest disrupts normal life

A religious gathering and protest on a disputed land Monday led to disruption in traffic movement in east Delhi and shutting down of two Metro stations for almost eight hours.

Metro officials said the Jor Bagh and the INA stations were closed to the public at 10.45 a.m. and reopened 6:15 p.m.

Police used mild force to control people when they pelted stones while trying to march from the disputed land at Karbala in Lodhi Colony area of south Delhi towards the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

"About 400 people were allowed to come and join the protest from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. The protest that started about 11 a.m. continued till 5 p.m.," a police officer told IANS.

It was when the protesters started coming from UP that commuters were stuck in long traffic snarls on roads connecting Noida to Delhi, National Highway-24, DND flyover and those leading to Ashram, Ring Road and Nizamuddin.

Earlier, the Delhi Traffic Police issued instructions to people against using NH-24. Vehicular movement normalized only by noon, he said.