The extensive police blockades locked out thousands of daily-wage labourers, gig workers, and commuters from central Delhi, forcing many to lose their daily livelihoods. Amid a massive youth-led agitation demanding the suspension of the special intensive revision (SIR) and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, tens of thousands of security personnel were deployed across the national capital on Saturday, turning Delhi into a fortress.
Security forces set up multiple layers of barricades on roads leading to central Delhi to prevent protesters from reaching Jantar Mantar. At the barricades, only people with government ID cards were allowed to proceed towards central Delhi.
Caught at the barricades
Around 9:30 a.m., Ram Kishan Mandal, 36, was among a group of daily-wage workers employed at a construction site in central Delhi, who were stopped by Delhi Police personnel at a barricade leading to India Gate in central Delhi. “Police are saying that we don’t have a permit to go ahead. We tried calling our employer, who asked us to walk to the site, but police is not allowing us,” he said.
Mr. Mandal, who hails from Katihar district of Bihar, said that his house was destroyed in the recent floods in the State, and his wife and children were living in a makeshift house with a tarpaulin roof. “If we earn something, then only I will be able to rebuild my house,” he said. “If we don’t work, we will lose out on today’s wage. What will we eat for two days?”
At another such barricade near Nizamuddin, another group of daily-wage workers was turned away by the police. “We are working at a construction site just across the flyover, but the police are not allowing us to go,” one of the workers said, pointing to a flyover about 50 m away.
Mukesh Chauhan, 47, who works as an electrician at a work site in central Delhi, was also stopped at the Nizamuddin barricade while he was going to work on his motorbike. “If I don’t go, then I won’t get paid for the day. But they (police) are not allowing me to go. I earn only about ₹9,000 a month. People like us should be allowed to go. If I don’t work today, I will also lose the ₹100 I have spent on petrol for travelling,” he said.
Devender Chauhan, 41, on a scooter along with his wife, was stopped at the barricade. “She works at a cafe in central Delhi. Look at her uniform; the company’s name is written here, but they are not allowing us to go,” he said.
“The advertising company in Khan Market, where I work, is asking me to go and open the shop. The main key is with me. They are now saying, don’t work today. I have checked other roads also, everything is closed,” Mr. Chauhan said.
After multiple requests, Mr. Chauhan’s wife finally got permission from one of the police officers to walk to her workplace about 2 km away. “Last time also, when Dharmendra Pradhan resigned, Khan Market was barricaded on all sides, and we were not allowed to even leave. We had to wait for about two hours,” he added, referring to the June-July protest in Jantar Mantar by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and other students’ unions.
No relaxation
Coming from Mehrauli in South Delhi, Akashna Mishra was stopped three times at barricades near Lajpat Nagar metro station, then near Bharat Mandapam, and finally at Minto Road. Beyond this point, only those with a valid ID for work were being allowed to pass. She had to explain thrice that she was heading to her office.
The 23-year-old, who was already running late, was stressed after she was shouted at by police personnel to stand to the side on Minto Road. “It’s been only a few days in my new job and I have not received my ID card yet. Police are asking me to show my joining letter, but there is no internet here. How can anyone send me any document?”
P.V. Aniyan, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (Delhi) secretary, said that daily wage and gig workers in central Delhi and nearby areas were the worst affected by the government’s clampdown. “Their entire day’s earnings have been hit. Before enforcing such a blockade in Delhi, the government should think about its effects,” he said.
Published – October 11, 2026 12:55 am IST
