The Delhi Metro has emerged as the fastest, safest, and most convenient mode of transportation in India's capital, Delhi, and its surrounding regions. Launched on December 24, 2002, it is the country's first modern metro service. Today, the Delhi Metro network serves millions of passengers daily, efficiently connecting them to their destinations.
Operated by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), the system was conceptualised in 1995, and construction began in 1998. Currently, the network extends beyond Delhi to its satellite cities such as Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Bahadurgarh.
The Delhi Metro comprises over 10 colour-coded corridors, such as the Red Line, Blue Line, Yellow Line, Green Line, Violet Line, Pink Line, Magenta Line, Grey Line, and the Airport Express Line.
Construction of the Delhi Metro began in 1998. The first elevated train on the Red Line operated between Shahdara and Tis Hazari on December 25, 2002, while the first underground train on the Yellow Line ran between Vishwavidyalaya and Kashmere Gate on December 20, 2004. The metro’s expansion has been executed in various phases. The first phase, comprising three lines, was completed by 2006, and the second phase concluded in 2011. The third phase was completed by the end of 2022. Construction for the fourth phase officially began on December 30, 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first section of Delhi Metro's Phase-4 on January 5, 2025.
Air quality across Delhi and the National Capital Region deteriorated significantly ahead of Diwali, with average Air Quality Index levels crossing 300 and several areas entering the severe category above 400. In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management enforced Stage 2 of the Graded Response Action Plan. Restrictions include regulations on diesel generator sets, higher parking charges to curb private vehicle usage, and bans on burning wood or coal in restaurants and hotels. The Delhi Metro announced 20 additional daily trips on weekdays to encourage public transport use. Ground reports highlighted smog across border regions like Rohini, Bawana, and the Delhi-Noida border.
Air quality across Delhi and the National Capital Region has deteriorated into the very poor category, with the overall Air Quality Index breaching the 300 mark and crossing 400 in areas such as Rohini and Bawana. In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management has enforced Stage Two of the Graded Response Action Plan across the region. Under these guidelines, the burning of wood and coal in hotels and restaurants is prohibited, diesel generator usage is restricted to emergencies, and parking fees have been raised to discourage private vehicle use. The Delhi Metro will run 20 additional daily trips on weekdays, while civic bodies step up mechanical road sweeping and water sprinkling. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has permitted the sale and bursting of only green crackers on specific dates during limited morning and evening time slots for Diwali. Gurugram has additionally mandated 50 percent work from home and halted construction activities.
Air quality across Delhi NCR has deteriorated into the very poor category, with the overall AQI reaching 331 and several areas breaching the 400 severe mark. In response, CAQM enforced GRAP Stage 2 measures across the region, which mandate higher vehicle parking charges, strict curbs on diesel generator sets, intensified mechanical sweeping, and 20 additional daily Delhi Metro trips to promote public transport. Meanwhile, Gurugram authorities announced strict pollution control curbs between 5 and 20 November, including a ban on construction activities and 50 percent mandatory work-from-home rules for staff. In addition, the Supreme Court permitted green crackers during Diwali for restricted time slots across Delhi NCR.
Elaborate traffic restrictions and heavy security deployment have been imposed across Central and Old Delhi as opposition INDIA bloc parties gather at Ramlila Maidan for a massive protest rally. Delhi Police closed vehicular movement around Ramlila Maidan and Minto Bridge, where Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to lead a protest march heading towards the ground. Movement towards Connaught Place remains open and metro rail services continue across all stations without disruptions, while vehicular routes heading towards Delhi Gate and adjoining Old Delhi roads face closures until evening. Large contingents of supporters and cadre from allied parties, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist), arrived from multiple states to assemble at the venue. Meanwhile, ruling Bharatiya Janata Party leaders hit out at the Congress, accusing it of staging rallies to launch political dynasts and alleging a lack of leadership and public support, while opposition functionaries maintained that lakhs are arriving to voice dissent.
A group of Delhi traders has appealed to the Congress party and the INDIA bloc to defer or cancel their scheduled rally at Ramlila Maidan ahead of Diwali. With major shopping areas and markets surrounding Old Delhi and Chandni Chowk witnessing heavy festive footfall, shopkeepers express serious concern over traffic restrictions, route diversions, and metro curbs. Highlighting that Delhi functions as a wholesale distribution hub reliant on buyers travelling from outside the city, traders cited an estimated loss of 3,000 crore rupees over 25 days due to repeated disruptions. They have urged organisers to postpone political gatherings until after the peak festive season concludes.
The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against unidentified persons after two anti-government posters were found pasted inside a train on the Delhi Metro Airport Express Line. The posters questioned the government's performance, listing nine claims about changes in the country in recent years, and included a QR code inviting passengers to join an online group. Cases have been filed under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Public Property Act and the Metro Railways Act. The Delhi Police Special Cell has joined the investigation to identify those responsible for pasting the posters and to trace the administrators of the online group linked through the QR code.
The Chamber of Trade and Industry has written to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, requesting the rescheduling of the Congress party's planned 1 November rally at Ramlila Maidan until after Diwali festivities conclude on 10 November. Highlighting severe economic fallout, trade bodies warned of a business risk exceeding 10,000 crore rupees if traffic curbs, barricades, and metro disruptions are enforced across central and Old Delhi. The body noted that nearly 3,000 crore rupees in trade was already lost during demonstrations earlier in October. Key wholesale and retail markets located within a five-kilometre radius of the protest venue, including Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Chawri Bazar, and Karol Bagh, face major supply chain hurdles and sharp drops in footfall ahead of Dhanteras, when trade is estimated at 25,000 crore rupees. While supporting the democratic right to demonstrate, traders urged political organisations to pause protests during peak festive shopping.
The Bombay High Court has expressed serious concern over deteriorating air quality in Mumbai, questioning how civic and state authorities can sleep peacefully while citizens struggle to breathe. Pollution levels in the city have increasingly rivalled and surpassed those of the national capital. The court criticised slow enforcement, poor public warning, and ongoing violations of firecracker bans on public streets, footpaths, and near hospitals and schools. In addition to festival firecrackers, extensive construction dust from mega redevelopment, Metro, and coastal road projects, alongside vehicle emissions and weak post-monsoon winds, has severely degraded the city's air. The court highlighted a lackadaisical approach from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, directing authorities to formulate strict enforcement protocols and submit compliance reports.
Air quality across Delhi NCR has deteriorated into the poor category, recording an Air Quality Index of 244 and prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management to enforce stage one of the Graded Response Action Plan. The winter anti-pollution measures include intensified road sweeping, water sprinkling, dust control at construction sites, and curbs on open waste burning. The Delhi government has also outlined plans including staggered office timings, fifty per cent work from home guidelines, and additional Delhi Metro train trips to encourage public transport. Meanwhile, a political confrontation has broken out between Delhi and Punjab over farm fires. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa alleged that stubble burning in Punjab is sabotaging the capital's anti-pollution efforts, asserting that Delhi recorded 214 days of good or moderate air quality this year. In contrast, political voices in Punjab argue that stubble is not the primary cause of Delhi's pollution and demand adequate financial compensation for farmers to facilitate alternative crop residue management solutions.
Air quality across Delhi-NCR deteriorated as the Air Quality Index slipped into the poor category, breaching the 240 mark in late October. In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management invoked Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan across the national capital region. Under GRAP 1 measures, authorities have intensified water sprinkling, mechanized road sweeping, and dust control inspections at construction sites, while over 250 anti-smog guns have been deployed. Restrictions have been placed on non-compliant commercial and diesel vehicles entering Delhi, alongside curbs on open waste burning and coal-based stoves. The India Meteorological Department flagged unfavourable wind conditions and geographical trapping of pollution as contributing factors, alongside local industrial emissions, vehicular traffic, and rising stubble burning cases in Punjab and Haryana. To encourage public transport and reduce vehicular emissions, the Delhi Metro announced 20 additional train trips on weekdays, with additional government measures planned for implementation ahead of the winter season.
Delhi's air quality slipped into the 'poor' category with the Air Quality Index touching 216 ahead of Dussehra and Diwali festivities, prompting the Delhi government to roll out its Winter Pollution Plan. Enforced from 1 November to 28 February, the plan introduces strict measures to curb vehicular emissions, construction dust, and traffic congestion across the national capital. Key initiatives include a ban on non-BS6 vehicles registered outside Delhi, strict enforcement of the 'no PUC, no fuel' mandate at petrol pumps, deployment of artificial intelligence-powered cameras to monitor construction and waste burning, and a 50% work-from-home advisory for government and private offices. Public transport is being augmented with additional electric buses, increased metro trips, and improved last-mile connectivity. Ground reporting also highlighted government preparations to shift schools to hybrid or online modes if pollution levels escalate further during winter.
The Delhi government has formulated a comprehensive winter action plan to curb air pollution, scheduled to remain in effect from November 1 to February 28. Under the initiative, the administration will enforce a 'no PUC, no fuel' policy and restrict the entry of non-BS6 compliant vehicles registered outside the national capital. Authorities will also introduce stringent measures to monitor construction dust using artificial intelligence-powered cameras. Additional interventions include an emphasis on 50 per cent work from home alongside the promotion of public transport, including buses, the metro, and last-mile connectivity, aiming to secure clean air and reduce seasonal toxic emissions across Delhi.
This special broadcast of India First, hosted by Gaurav Sawant, covers unrest across France, Italy, Portugal, and Albania, analysing potential national security lessons for India.
A security alert was triggered at Delhi's Jama Masjid Metro Station after CISF personnel intercepted a passenger carrying 155 grams of a suspected gold powder-like substance. The passenger, identified as Mohammad Shoaib, attempted to flee up the stairs when called for physical frisking following an X-ray scan. Alert CISF personnel chased and apprehended him near the gate. A subsequent search revealed the semi-solid material concealed inside a specially stitched section of his undergarments and backpack. The passenger, who claimed to be an NRI residing in Malaysia, failed to produce valid documentation or explanations for the substance. He was handed over to Delhi Police after narcotics testing returned negative and Customs cited jurisdictional limitations.
Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces deployed personnel and barricaded Connaught Place to stop unauthorized gatherings ahead of a planned Tiranga rally at Central Park. While arterial roads and Delhi Metro stations remained operational, Central Park was closed for two days, and over 150 demonstrators attempting to reach the inner circle with the national flag were detained. Left-affiliated protesters, including Dipankar Bhattacharya and Neha Bora, were taken into custody near Mandi House. In addition, Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke was placed under preventive detention under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita outside NCP-SP spokesperson Anish Gawande's residence. Security forces also dispersed student gatherings at Jantar Mantar. The police action generated political debate, with opposition voices defending the constitutional right to protest, while government representatives cited lack of clearance, previous blockades, and the denotification of Jantar Mantar as designated protest grounds.
Heavy security arrangements and paramilitary deployments were put in place across central Delhi, including Jantar Mantar and Connaught Place, as student organisations and political groups staged demonstrations. Protesters from various student wings, including AISA and left-affiliated organisations, gathered near Tolstoy Marg before dispersing amid heavy barricading. Delhi Police and Central Armed Police Forces maintained multi-layered barricades to prevent demonstrators from marching further. In Connaught Place, security personnel monitored the situation using drones and moved to disperse groups carrying national flags to keep roads clear for traffic. Authorities managed traffic movement, keeping metro stations, arterial roads, and local markets operational despite the standoff. Several protest leaders, including Dipankar Bhattacharya, SFI leader Mayukh Biswas, and others, faced police detentions across locations such as Mandi House and India Gate as forces acted to control the situation and prevent further escalation.
Connaught Place was heavily fortified as police and paramilitary forces cracked down on demonstrations linked to a planned Tiranga rally. Protesters carrying the national flag faced detention across Central Delhi, including student leaders Neha Bora and Dipankar Bhattacharya marching from Mandi House. Authorities shut Central Park for two days and deployed extensive security to prevent unauthorised gatherings, while maintaining regular metro services and traffic flow. Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke was taken into preventive custody from the residence of NCP SP spokesperson Anish Gawande after Delhi Police denied permission for his demonstration. Police served notices prohibiting the rally, citing concerns over public order, though Dipke argued that unfurling the national flag was peaceful and constitutional. Continued attempts by demonstrators to converge at the inner circle of Connaught Place led to sustained police action and reignited debate concerning democratic assembly rights.
Delhi witnessed heavy police deployment and preventive detentions as protesters attempted to stage demonstrations linked to the CJP Tiranga Yatra across Connaught Place, Mandi House, and Jantar Mantar. Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita were enforced in central Delhi to prevent large congregations. Multiple student leaders and activists, including Abhijeet Dipke, Neha Bora, and Dipankar Bhattacharya, were taken into custody. Unlike previous closures, traffic movement and metro stations remained operational to avoid disruption to daily commuters, while barricades sealed off Central Park and inner circle access. Left-wing student groups from AISF and other outfits gathered near barricaded points at Jantar Mantar carrying national flags and raising slogans. Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, police denied initial protest permissions at Town Hall but permitted a limited hundred-metre march with the tricolour under strict conditions prohibiting slogans, placards, and demonstrations.
A ground report from Delhi's Connaught Place details commercial shutdowns and citizen demonstrations following NDMC notices ordering the inner circle closed for two days. Reporter Preeti Chaudhry notes that while the administration shut markets, metro stations and arterial roads remained mostly open, except for a traffic-clearing diversion near KG Marg. Several demonstrators arrived carrying the national flag, asserting their democratic right to question authorities despite previous detentions and police warnings. A woman from Malviya Nagar stated citizens no longer fear administrative crackdowns and plan to stand peacefully, while a protester from Madhya Pradesh raised concerns regarding voting rights and policy accountability. The report also highlights student factions, including NSUI and left-affiliated groups, mobilizing near the inner circle, alongside regular visitors observing the heavy police deployment across the area.
Delhi Police issued two notices barring Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke from heading towards Central Park in Connaught Place under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. Authorities cited that previous court undertakings bound individuals against creating unrest, noting that associates Saurabh Das and Ashutosh Ranka remain in five-day judicial custody at Tihar Jail over compliance violations. Amid calls for a national flag unfurling march, heavy security deployment and barricading cordoned off the Connaught Place Inner Circle, with police buses stationed to carry out detentions if unauthorised gatherings assemble. While metro stations and surrounding roads remain operational, demonstrators and supporters arrived independently despite the absence of core leadership on the ground. Local traders and shop owners expressed concern over potential disruptions, even as attendees asserted their gathering remained peaceful.
