New Delhi/Alive News: The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has written to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the second time in four days, urging the INDIA bloc to postpone its November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan until November 10, after Diwali. Traders have warned that traffic restrictions and congestion could cause business losses of around ₹10,000 crore.
CTI president Brijesh Goyal said the rally could attract nearly 10 lakh people and 15,000–20,000 vehicles, potentially disrupting commercial activity across 20 major markets, including Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazaar.
The CTI has also suggested shifting the rally to an alternative venue, such as Burari Ground or Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. According to the organisation, traders suffered losses of approximately ₹3,000 crore during a protest on October 10.
Traders claim that more than one lakh shops operate in the Old Delhi markets surrounding Ramlila Maidan. Chandni Chowk alone reportedly has over 75,000 shops, while Sadar Bazaar is another major commercial hub.
The INDIA bloc is organising the rally to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Rahul Gandhi refused to postpone the rally on Monday. In a post on X, he said the opposition was listening to Delhi’s traders and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the Chief Election Commissioner, claiming the protest would end within 30 seconds if that demand were met.
The CTI’s latest appeal comes amid concerns over the impact of political demonstrations on business during the festive season.
