More than 250 trains to and from Delhi were cancelled or rescheduled on Saturday as security arrangements linked to a protest disrupted railway operations, leaving passengers stranded at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations and forcing many to pay higher fares for alternative travel and accommodation.
Passengers gathered at the inquiry kiosk at New Delhi Railway Station seeking clarity about their tickets and revised schedules, according to a report by the Times of India. Some were unable to leave the station because transport options were limited, while the reported shutdown of internet services in the area made it difficult to access online maps, booking platforms and live travel information.
The railways said the cancellations and rescheduling were necessary because security arrangements for the protest would make it difficult for people to reach or leave the two stations. The disruption affected trains serving different parts of northern India, creating problems for passengers travelling for examinations, work and business.
Aniket Kumar, a student of Lovely Professional University, said he and his friends were concerned about reaching their colleges before mid-term examinations beginning on Monday. “Most trains going to different part of northern India pass through Delhi. How are we to reach our colleges for exam if all of them are cancelled?” he said, according to the report.
The transport disruption extended beyond the railway stations. Passengers reported that some metro stations were closed and that bus routes were difficult to understand. With online auto bookings unavailable or unreliable, some commuters said they had to pay significantly more than usual. A passenger identified as Damanjeet said he paid twice the normal fare because he could not book an auto online.
The restrictions also altered road journeys across the city. Driver Kishore said he had to travel three times the usual distance to avoid being stopped by police. He also said he had been asked to turn back if young men were inside the vehicle, adding that passengers could not expect him to absorb the extra cost of the journey.
Passengers also described difficulty obtaining information inside the station. Security personnel reportedly asked people not to take photographs or videos, and some passengers carrying phones at chest level were confronted and had their galleries checked for images of closed metro gates or railway display screens showing cancellations.
The disruption affected visitors who had planned to return from Delhi by train. Satyam Patel, a resident of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, said his return train was cancelled after a one-day business trip. He booked another ticket through a third-party application at three times the original fare, according to the report. Patel also said five hotels denied him a room because he “looked like a Gen Z”.
The immediate next step for affected passengers was to obtain updated train information from railway authorities and arrange alternative travel or accommodation where required. The report did not provide a consolidated schedule for the restoration of normal services.
