25 lakh commuters affected due to Delhi Metro shutdown in December

New Delhi: Nearly 25 lakh Delhi Metro commuters were affected due to shutting down of various Metro stations in December during protest against the gangrape of a paramedical student in the city. Minister of State for Urban Development, Deepa Dasmunshi gave this information in reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.  According to the estimates provided in Dasmunshi’s reply, approximately 3.8 lakh commuters were affected on December 23, 3.8 lakh on December 24, 8.3 lakh on December 25, 3.6 lakh on December 29, 3.6 lakh on December 30 and 2.3 lakh on December 31. The number of affected passengers was calculated on the basis of difference in ridership on same days of previous month and ridership on days of closure in December 2012. DMRC had shut down various Metro stations in central Delhi on the directions of Delhi Police after protests erupted at India Gate and Raisina Hill following the brutal gangrape of a woman in a moving bus on December 16 who later died in a Singapore hospital. Replying to another question, Dasmunshi informed Lok Sabha that 16 people have been found guilty of subletting government accommodations this year so far and departmental action as per rules have been initiated against them. The 16 cases involved two Type-I, six Type-II, seven Type-III and one Type-IV accommodations. PTI