Fear Grips Delhi Trade Bodies Ahead of Nov 1 Mega Rally
A sense of unease has spread among traders in Delhi over the Congress party's proposed mega rally at Ramlila Maidan on November 1. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), which represents the capital's traders and entrepreneurs, has urged the leaders of the INDIA bloc to reschedule the event for after Diwali. Letters have been sent to Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav, Uddhav Thackeray and all other constituent parties.
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said the business community has no objection to the rally as such. The problem, he explained, is that November 1 coincides with the busiest phase of preparations for Dhanteras and Diwali. He said that if the rally proceeds, daily business of around Rs 10,000 to 12,000 crore conducted in 20 historic markets would be brought to a halt.
The organisation has written to Sonia Gandhi, a senior Congress leader, asking her to postpone the November 1 rally. CTI had previously written to Rahul Gandhi to inform him of the traders' position.
The 20 markets in question lie within a 5-kilometre radius of Ramlila Maidan and are said to be more than 300 years old. They supply goods across India and include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Connaught Place, Palika Bazar, Janpath, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Kashmere 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 supply chain behind these markets is extensive. Around 5,000 trucks and tempos arrive daily from 56 industrial areas, including Narela, Bawana, Okhla, Mayapuri, Mundka, Udyog Nagar and Mangolpuri. Roughly 3,000 trucks then leave every day for 25 cities in the National Capital Region, such as Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Sonipat and Panipat, as well as other parts of the country.
Traders warned that the disruption would begin well before the rally. If it goes ahead, buses and other vehicles may begin gathering at Delhi's borders at Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Badarpur from the afternoon of October 31, and barricades could be erected on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and JLN Marg by evening. Transporters are already declining to send vehicles from October 31.
CTI has asked that the rally be held on November 10 or 11, once Diwali is over, so that trade during Dhanteras and Diwali is not disturbed. If the event cannot be moved, it has proposed shifting it from Ramlila Maidan to Burari Ground, which has space to park 15,000 vehicles.