‘Walking Is The New Commute’: Delhi Office-Goers Feel The Heat Of Jantar Mantar Protest
‘Walking Is The New Commute’: Delhi Office-Goers Feel The Heat Of Jantar Mantar Protest Published By, Last Updated: July 24, 2026, 17:45 IST For thousands
‘Walking Is The New Commute’: Delhi Office-Goers Feel The Heat Of Jantar Mantar Protest Published By, Last Updated: July 24, 2026, 17:45 IST For thousands of office-goers who once relied on the Delhi Metro and cab services to reach work in the Lutyens' zone, walking has become the only option. Commuters crowd a bus stop near Barakhamba Road after authorities shut several Metro stations across central Delhi. (X) Jantar Mantar Protests: Students from across the country and activists of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), an online satirical collective, have been protesting at Jantar Mantar and others parts of Central Delhi demanding accountability for repeated examination paper leaks and seeking resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Amidst the chaos, for thousands of office-goers in Lutyens’ Delhi, the daily commute has taken an unexpected turn. With metro stations closed, roads barricaded and ride-hailing services avoiding the area around Jantar Mantar, walking has become the most reliable way to get to work. The ongoing protest at Jantar Mantar has led to heightened security arrangements, with Delhi Police sealing key stretches, including Parliament Street, Tolstoy Road and Jai Singh Marg. The restrictions have disrupted traffic across central Delhi, forcing commuters to navigate long detours through narrow bylanes.
“Since the metro is shut and police personnel are present in the area, even ride-hailing services are reluctant to accept rides here," a working professional said as quoted by news agency PTI. For many, what was once a quick metro ride has turned into a daily trek. One commuter said he had to walk nearly 2.2 kilometres from his office to Mandi House Metro station before finding an auto-rickshaw. “Yesterday I had to walk till Mandi House metro station, which is 2.2 km from my office. From there I took an auto. It took me an hour and 45 minutes to reach Anand Vihar," he said, describing a commute that would ordinarily take half of that time by metro. The shutdown of metro stations around Connaught Place has made commuting towards east Delhi especially difficult, another office-goer said. The disruption is not limited to civilians. Commuters said even police personnel posted for duty are having to walk long stretches through bylanes to reach their postings, as the area remains under what many described as a complete traffic lockdown. Adding to commuters’ woes, internet services have remained suspended in parts of the area since clashes between protesters and police on July 20.
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