Delhi Traders Seek Ban On Large Protests In Commercial Areas During Festive Season

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has urged the government to restrict large-scale protests in Delhi’s key commercial and central areas from Navratri until Deepavali, citing a sharp decline in customer footfall and business activity during the festive season. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal also called for a permanent protest zone outside central Delhi to minimise disruptions to traders and commuters.

The organisation said repeated demonstrations, traffic congestion and metro station closures were discouraging shoppers from visiting markets, threatening business during one of the most important periods of the year for retailers.

Traders Claim Business Activity Has Fallen By 70%

Goyal said the festive period, which includes Navratri, Ramlila events, Deepavali and the subsequent wedding season, is crucial for Delhi’s trading community. He called for restrictions on large gatherings at Jantar Mantar, Parliament Street and other parts of Lutyens’ Delhi, arguing that disruptions in these areas affect customer movement across the capital.

According to a CTI survey, business activity in Delhi’s markets has fallen by around 70% over the past three days. The organisation claimed that the number of shoppers travelling to Delhi from outside the city had dropped from an estimated two to three lakh daily to around 40,000-50,000. Local market footfall, meanwhile, had declined by more than 50%.

CTI attributed the downturn to repeated metro station closures, traffic congestion and demonstrations around Jantar Mantar, Parliament Street and Connaught Place.

“We fully respect the right to peaceful protest in a democracy. However, when thousands gather for demonstrations in central Delhi just before the festive season, it directly affects traders,” Goyal said.

Earlier today, Goyal had also written to LoP Rahul Gandhi seeking time to meet him and discuss the traders' grievances.

The organisation said the disruption threatened the business of around 15 lakh traders in the national capital and urged the government to balance the right to protest with the need to keep commercial areas accessible.

CTI Proposes Permanent Protest Zone Outside Central Delhi

CTI general secretary Gurmeet Arora called for fresh guidelines governing demonstrations involving more than 1,000 people at Jantar Mantar and other prominent locations. The organisation also proposed designating a permanent protest zone outside central Delhi, suggesting Burari or Ramlila Maidan as possible locations.

The demand comes amid concerns among traders over the impact of large political demonstrations on market access during the festive season. CTI has argued that shifting large gatherings away from central commercial districts would allow protests to take place without disrupting businesses and public transport.

The appeal comes ahead of the Cockroach Janata Party’s call for a protest in Delhi on October 10, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The proposed demonstration adds to tensions over protests in the capital and their impact on businesses and commuters.

(With PTI Inputs)