Delhi’s trading community warned of a major business disruption due to the INDIA bloc’s mega rally at Ramlila Maidan, with the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) claiming that around 2.5 lakh shops could
remain shut and nearly 80 per cent of business activity may come to a standstill.
The traders’ body said the disruption could put the daily business of around 20 major markets, estimated at Rs 10,000-12,000 crore during the festive season, at risk. The rally is also expected to affect the movement of goods and customers across Central Delhi and Old Delhi, just days before Dhanteras and Diwali.
CTI has written a fourth letter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the potential impact of the rally on traders. The organisation said that while Rahul Gandhi had appealed to rally participants to visit Delhi’s markets and shop to support local businesses, the situation on the ground was very different, with panic among shopkeepers and customers.
How Much Business Could Delhi Traders Lose?
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said around 2.5 lakh of the approximately three lakh shops located within a five-kilometre radius of Ramlila Maidan were expected to remain closed.
The traders’ body claimed that nearly 80 per cent of business activity in the affected markets could come to a halt, putting their crucial festive-season earnings at risk.
“When the shops themselves will remain closed, where will the people attending the rally go for shopping?” Goyal asked.
The organisation said the disruption could affect around 20 major markets, whose daily business during the festive season is estimated at Rs 10,000-12,000 crore. It added that the livelihoods of around 20 lakh traders and 75 lakh people associated with the trading ecosystem could be affected.
With Dhanteras falling on November 6 and Diwali on November 8, November 1 is considered an important day for festive shopping and business preparations.
Why Are Traders Worried About Transport And Goods Movement?
Apart from shop closures, CTI warned that the rally could disrupt transportation and the movement of goods within a 10-kilometre radius of the venue.
Goyal said around 5,000 trucks and tempos carrying goods from 56 industrial areas, including Narela, Bawana, Okhla, Mayapuri, Mundka and Udyog Nagar, normally reach these markets every day.
Loading and unloading operations could also be affected, disrupting the supply chain during the festive rush.
“The entire supply chain has been disrupted today. Goods meant for the Dhanteras season are lying in warehouses and cannot reach the shops,” Goyal said.
The traders’ body also claimed that customers from nearby cities and towns, including Sonipat, Panipat, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida, Meerut, Bahadurgarh and Jhajjar, could avoid visiting Delhi due to concerns over traffic congestion and market closures.
Where Will Rally Participants’ Vehicles Be Parked?
Goyal also raised concerns over arrangements for the estimated 15,000 to 20,000 buses, cars and tempos expected to transport rally participants.
He warned that vehicle movement and parking along JLN Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Ajmeri Gate and Chandni Chowk Road could lead to severe congestion across Central and Old Delhi.
The traders’ body said such disruptions could make it difficult for customers and suppliers to reach markets during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.
What Did Traders Tell Rahul Gandhi?
Welcoming Rahul Gandhi’s video appeal asking rally participants to shop in Delhi and support local traders, CTI said the appeal did not address the concerns over market closures and blocked roads.
Goyal also rejected allegations that traders were acting as agents of the BJP, saying around 100 major market associations had appealed for the rally to be postponed to protect their livelihoods.
“We are traders, not BJP agents. These 100 major market associations are not agents of any political party. They are traders of Delhi, and their business is trade, not politics,” he said.
Reiterating that the organisation was not opposed to the opposition rally, CTI appealed for business activity and public movement to remain unaffected.
“We are saying once again that we are not against the rally. Hold your rally, but not at the cost of the Diwali business of 20 markets. Rahul Gandhi ji, you are asking people to visit markets, but when the markets and shops are closed, transportation is stalled, and roads are blocked, where will the people attending the rally go shopping? First, ensure that the roads remain open,” the organisation said.
