India, July 25 -- Amit Kumar switched to walking shoes on Tuesday. Not because he wanted to. Because the Metro was shut, the bylanes of central Delhi were the only route left between him and his office near Connaught Place.

He has worn those shoes every morning since. "I build in an extra 45 minutes now," he said. "There is no other option." Amit Kumar did not come to Jantar Mantar to protest. He was simply trying to get to work. For three days now, thousands of people like him have been absorbing the cost of a standoff they have no stake in.

Repeated closures of metro stations and transport disruptions imposed by authorities in response to the Jantar Mantar protest have triggered backlash from commuters, who took to social media to que...