The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), the apex body representing traders and entrepreneurs in Delhi, on Friday, 30 October wrote to Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, urging her to postpone the party's proposed mega rally at Ramlila Maidan on 1 November until after Diwali. The organisation warned that the event — expected to draw around 10 lakh people and 15,000–20,000 vehicles — could bring business worth ₹10,000–12,000 crore across 20 major markets in central Delhi to a standstill.

Why Traders Are Alarmed

CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said the traders' body was not opposed to the rally itself, but was deeply concerned about its timing. Dhanteras falls on 6 November and Diwali on 8 November, making 1 November one of the single busiest days for festive shopping preparations in the capital.

'We are not opposing the rally. We are humbly appealing to save our livelihoods during the peak Diwali season. If 10 lakh people and 15,000–20,000 vehicles arrive in central Delhi on that day, business worth ₹10,000–12,000 crore across 20 historic markets will come to a standstill,' Goyal said.

He added that disruptions could begin as early as 31 October, when buses and vehicles carrying rally participants are expected to start arriving at Delhi's border points — Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Badarpur. Transporters have reportedly already been expressing reluctance to dispatch vehicles to the affected areas from 31 October onwards.

Four Key Concerns Raised in the Letter

The CTI's letter to Gandhi outlined four specific concerns: inadequate parking facilities at Ramlila Maidan, severe traffic congestion on arterial roads, disruption to the movement of goods, and the cascading impact on both wholesale and retail trade.

On parking, the organisation noted that Ramlila Maidan does not have sufficient space to accommodate even 200 large buses, raising the question of where an estimated 15,000–20,000 buses, cars and other vehicles would be parked. According to CTI, vehicles could spill onto major roads including Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Ajmeri Gate and Chandni Chowk Road.

Markets at Stake

The CTI identified around 20 major wholesale and retail markets located within a five-km radius of Ramlila Maidan that stand to be affected. These include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Connaught Place, Palika Bazaar, Janpath, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Kashmere Gate, Karol Bagh, Daryaganj and Paharganj, among others.

According to the CTI, around 5,000 trucks and tempos bring goods daily to these markets from 56 industrial areas — including Narela, Bawana, Okhla, Mayapuri and Mundka. Nearly 3,000 trucks transport goods daily from these markets to 25 cities across the National Capital Region, including Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Sonipat and Panipat, as well as to other states. The body cited a precedent: a gathering of around 5,000–7,000 people at Jantar Mantar on 10 October had resulted in traffic congestion in central Delhi for nearly eight hours.

What CTI Is Asking For

The CTI has put forward two demands. First, it has requested that the 1 November rally be postponed to 10–11 November or later, allowing traders to complete their Dhanteras and Diwali business without disruption. Alternatively, if postponement is not possible, the organisation has suggested shifting the venue from Ramlila Maidan to Burari Ground, which it said has parking capacity for around 15,000 vehicles.

Goyal noted that the CTI had earlier written three letters to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appealing for the rally to be rescheduled, but those requests had not been accepted. 'These 20 markets are not just markets; they are the heartbeat of Delhi,' he said. 'Traders are worried that if central Delhi faces a lockdown-like traffic jam on 31 October and 1 November, how will their festive goods reach the markets and be transported from there?'

With Diwali week approaching and no response yet from the Congress on rescheduling, the standoff between the party and Delhi's trading community is set to intensify in the coming days.