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‘Not opposed, making heartfelt plea’: Delhi traders urge Sonia Gandhi to postpone November 1 Ramlila Maidan rally
Citing severe economic fallout during the peak festive period, the premier traders' body warned of a severe traffic paralysis across 20 historic markets.
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The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) on Thursday wrote directly to Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, demanding an immediate deferral of the INDIA bloc’s massive November 1 mega-rally at Ramlila Maidan.
Citing severe economic fallout during the peak festive shopping period, the premier traders' body warned that bringing an estimated 10 lakh (1 million) people and 15,000 to 20,000 vehicles into Central Delhi would spark a severe traffic paralysis across 20 historic markets.
"We demand to reschedule the mega-rally of 1 million (10 lakh) people, planned for November 1, to a date after Diwali; lack of parking for 15,000–20,000 vehicles could lead to a total gridlock, akin to a lockdown," the CTI urged in its letter to Sonia Gandhi.
‘Not opposed to rally, making heartfelt plea’
Deep Dive
The planned rally comes at a critical juncture for Delhi's commercial ecosystem. With Dhanteras falling on November 6 and Diwali on November 8, traders emphasise that November 1 represents the busiest single day for festive inventory transit and shopper movement.
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal stressed that business owners are facing widespread panic, clarifying that their plea is purely about survival rather than political opposition.
"We are not opposing the rally; we are making a heartfelt plea to protect our livelihoods during the peak Diwali season," stated CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal.
"These 20 markets are not merely marketplaces; they are the heartbeat of Delhi. They generate a daily turnover of 10,000 to 12,000 crore rupees, and Dhanteras falls on November 6th. Traders are anxious: if a lockdown-like gridlock hits central Delhi on October 31st and November 1st, how will the goods for Dhanteras be transported in and out?" Goyal added.
"Dhanteras falls on November 6, and Diwali is on November 8; November 1 is the busiest day for preparations... If 1 million people and 15,000–20,000 vehicles arrive in Central Delhi on November 1, the daily business turnover of ₹10,000–12,000 crore across 20 historic markets will come to a complete standstill," Goyal noted.
Transporters refuse to dispatch stock amid deadlock concerns
In its representation, the CTI detailed four major points of concern that could cripple capital logistics starting as early as Thursday evening: Lack of parking at Ramlila Maidan. "Where will 15,000–20,000 vehicles be parked? Ramlila Maidan does not even have the capacity to park 200 large buses."
They also raised concern over the threat to 20 historic wholesale & retail hubs. "20 historic wholesale and retail markets within a 5 km radius, with a daily turnover of ₹10,000–12,000 crore."
Several historic markets within a 5 km radius have been affected, including Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Connaught Place, Palika Bazar, Janpath, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Kashmiri Gate, Naya Bazar, Lajpat Rai Market, Chawri Bazar, Kinari Bazar, Dariba Kalan, Ballimaran, Fatehpuri, Tilak Bazar, Karol Bagh, Jama Masjid, Nabi Karim, Gaffar Market, Ajmeri Gate-Paharganj and Daryaganj.
The trade body also raised the issue of premature border & arterial gridlock and previous protests that dented the profits of shopkeepers in the peak festival season.
Starting from the afternoon of October 31st, buses and vehicles may begin arriving at Delhi’s borders—Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur, and Badarpur. By the evening, barricades could be set up along Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and JLN Marg. Transporters are already refusing to dispatch vehicles from October 31st."
"On October 10th, with only 5,000 to 7,000 people gathering at Jantar Mantar, central Delhi remained gridlocked for eight hours. Now, 1 million (10 lakh) people are expected to arrive."
The trade body highlighted that these hubs—some up to 300 years old—supply goods pan-India and depend on 5,000 daily trucks and tempos arriving from 56 industrial areas (including Narela, Bawana, Okhla, Mayapuri, Mundka, Udyog Nagar, and Mangolpuri).
CTI proposes alternatives for Congress march
To prevent a total commercial shutdown, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) suggested two alternatives: rescheduling the event to after the peak festive season, preferably beyond November 10, or relocating the rally to Burari Maidan if holding it on November 1 is non-negotiable.
Meanwhile, the rally—dubbed the 'Chalo Dilli Ramlila March'—has been called by the opposition INDIA bloc to demonstrate against alleged vote tampering. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi emphasised that the movement transcends individual party lines:
"Chalo Dilli Ramlila March, it is a march to save democracy, to stop vote theft, to save the Constitution. This is not a march of any one political party; it is a march of the soul of India. All the people who are fed up with Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and Gyanesh Kumar, all the people who want to save democracy, who want to protect the Constitution, you all come," Rahul Gandhi stated.
With less than 48 hours remaining before the scheduled assembly, traders in the national capital await an official response from Congress leadership regarding their request.
