The proposed Delhi Congress rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1 could disrupt access to 21 major wholesale and retail markets in Delhi during the peak festive shopping season, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has claimed. The traders’ body has urged Congress leaders to postpone the event until November 10 or shift it away from the city’s main commercial areas.
The CTI has written to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and sent a copy of its letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said traders were concerned that barricading, traffic restrictions and road closures could begin on October 31 and continue through the day of the rally, affecting customers, deliveries and business operations.
The markets identified by the traders’ body include Chandni Chowk, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Sadar Bazaar, Chawri Bazaar, Kashmere Gate, Nabi Karim, Karol Bagh, Ajmeri Gate, Daryaganj, Nai Sarak, Kinari Bazaar, Dariba Kalan, Fatehpuri, Lahori Gate, Filmistan, Paharganj, Gaffar Market, Jama Masjid, Lajpat Rai Market and Naya Bazaar. Several of these markets are located in and around Old Delhi, where narrow lanes and high commercial density already make traffic management difficult.
The Congress has claimed that the rally could draw 10 lakh people. Based on that estimate, the CTI said Delhi could see between 15,000 and 20,000 additional vehicles, including 10,000 to 12,000 buses and 5,000 to 7,000 smaller vehicles such as cars, minibuses and tempo travellers.
The traders’ body questioned where those vehicles would be parked, claiming that there is no authorised parking facility for even 200 vehicles in the immediate vicinity of Ramlila Maidan. It also warned that the entry of heavy or large vehicles into Old Delhi’s narrow roads could create prolonged blockages. According to the CTI, many lanes in the area are only 10 to 12 feet wide, and a single truck becoming stuck could cause traffic jams lasting several hours.
The concerns come during a period when the markets depend heavily on festive-season customer visits and movement of goods. The CTI said restrictions around a previous gathering at Jantar Mantar on October 10 had disrupted movement across central Delhi. It claimed that the event, attended by around 3,000 to 4,000 people, caused traders losses of Rs 3,000 crore.
On that basis, the organisation has projected that the November 1 rally could bring commercial activity across Old Delhi to a standstill and result in losses of up to Rs 10,000 crore. The figures are estimates issued by the traders’ body and were not independently assessed in the report.
The CTI has proposed Burari Ground or Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as alternative venues if the rally cannot be postponed. Its request places the immediate administrative challenge around the coordination of public assembly, traffic diversions, parking and commercial access across a dense central-city area. No response from the Congress, traffic authorities or the Delhi administration was included in the report.
