Delhi's Chamber of Trade and Industry has urged Congress leader Sonia Gandhi to postpone the INDIA bloc's mega rally planned for November 1 at Ramlila Maidan, saying the event could disrupt business across 20 major markets in the capital.

The traders body has warned that trade worth between Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 12,000 crore could be affected in a single day, as customers and traders struggle to reach markets amid traffic restrictions and road closures.

The rally, planned by the INDIA bloc for November 1 at Ramlila Maidan, is meant to raise opposition concerns over the Election Commission, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the special intensive revision of voter lists.

Chamber chairman Brijesh Goyal said the traders were not opposing the rally itself, but were appealing to protect livelihoods during the peak Diwali shopping season, noting that November 6 is Dhanteras and November 8 is Diwali, which makes November 1 the peak day of festive preparations.

Four crises flagged by traders

In its letter, the chamber flagged parking as the first problem, saying Ramlila Maidan does not have parking even for 200 large buses, while bringing 10 lakh people to the venue would need 15,000 to 20,000 buses, cars and tempos.

Those vehicles, the letter said, would crowd JLN Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Ajmeri Gate, Chandni Chowk Road and surrounding market areas, creating jam-like conditions across central and old Delhi.

The second concern covers the 20 historic wholesale and retail markets within a 5 km radius of Ramlila Maidan, including 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, which together do Rs 10,000-12,000 crore of business daily and supply goods across India.

The chamber said 5,000 trucks and tempos bring goods daily from 56 industrial areas including Narela, Bawana, Okhla, Mayapuri, Mundka, Udyog Nagar and Mangolpuri, while 3,000 trucks carry goods daily to 25 NCR cities including Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Sonipat and Panipat, apart from states across the country.

The third warning is that the disruption would begin on October 31 itself, with buses and vehicles expected at the Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Badarpur borders from the afternoon, barricading possible on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and JLN Marg from the evening, and transporters already refusing to send vehicles from October 31.

The fourth point cites October 10, when the chamber said just 5,000 to 7,000 people at Jantar Mantar kept central Delhi jammed for eight hours, against an expected crowd of 10 lakh for the November 1 rally.

What traders have demanded

The chamber has asked that the November 1 rally be postponed until after November 10-11, once Diwali is over, so that festive trade faces no disruption.

If postponement is not possible, the traders have asked that the venue be shifted from Ramlila Maidan to Burari ground, where parking space for 15,000 vehicles is available.