Mobile internet services will be suspended for 24 hours across a four-kilometre radius of the Janpath–Kartavya Path crossing in central Delhi as authorities tighten security ahead of a planned protest at Jantar Mantar.
The shutdown will begin at 10 PM on October 9 and remain in place until 10 PM on October 10.
The order has been authorised by the Union Home Secretary and implemented through Delhi Police, which has directed telecom operators to suspend mobile internet services in the notified area.
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Mobile Internet, Not All Delhi Internet, Is Being Suspended
The restriction applies to mobile internet services within the designated four-kilometre zone.
Internet access across the rest of Delhi will remain unaffected.
Delhi Police has directed Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Vodafone Idea and MTNL to implement the suspension across mobile technologies operating in the area.
The order has been issued under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecommunications Services (Temporary Suspension) Rules, 2024.
That legal framework allows authorities to temporarily suspend telecom services where they consider it necessary for public safety or public order.
Protest at Jantar Mantar Triggered Security Measures
The shutdown comes ahead of a planned October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar.
The Cockroach Janata Party and supporting groups have called for demonstrations over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and are demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Delhi Police has denied permission for the protest and imposed additional security restrictions in the New Delhi district.
Authorities expect large numbers of demonstrators and have put in place multiple crowd-control and transport measures.
Metro and Rail Services Also Face Restrictions
The mobile internet suspension is part of a much wider security plan.
Entry and exit gates at 57 Delhi Metro stations are scheduled to remain closed from 9 PM on October 9 until further notice.
Interchange facilities will remain available at most of those stations, although New Delhi Metro Station is an exception.
Several Mail and Express trains scheduled to arrive at New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway stations during parts of October 10 have also been cancelled.
The restrictions have prompted concern over disruption to commuters travelling into the capital.
Supreme Court Raises Concerns Over Wider Curbs
The Supreme Court on October 9 questioned the scale of some of the transport restrictions imposed ahead of the protest.
While hearing pleas related to metro and rail closures, the court expressed concern over the impact on ordinary commuters and asked authorities to consider corrective steps.
The court’s observations were directed mainly at transport restrictions rather than the mobile internet shutdown itself.
However, they add to the wider debate over how far authorities should go when imposing preventive restrictions in anticipation of protests.
Internet Shutdowns Affect More Than Social Media
A mobile internet suspension does not only prevent access to social media or messaging apps.
It can also affect digital payments, ride-hailing, navigation, delivery services, remote work and access to online documents or authentication systems.
Businesses and individuals inside the affected zone may therefore face practical problems even if they are not connected with the protest.
Fixed broadband or Wi-Fi services may continue to function depending on the exact implementation of the order, but mobile data will be unavailable within the notified area during the shutdown period.
Temporary Suspension Has a Fixed 24-Hour Window
The order currently specifies a clear end time of 10 PM on October 10.
That is important because the restriction is not an indefinite citywide shutdown.
Any extension would require a further decision or order.
The notified area is also limited to a four-kilometre radius around the Janpath–Kartavya Path crossing rather than the whole national capital.
What this means for you
If you expect to be in central Delhi around Janpath, Kartavya Path, Jantar Mantar or nearby areas between 10 PM on October 9 and 10 PM on October 10, do not rely entirely on mobile data. Download maps, tickets and essential documents in advance, and keep an alternative payment or communication option available.
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