The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has reached out to Opposition leaders with a request: get the Congress to hold its Ramlila Maidan rally some time after November 10-11 instead of this Sunday.
Published: October 31, 2026, 4:43 PM IST
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The association claimed that transporters were already reluctant to dispatch goods over fears of barricading and traffic restrictionsFile image/PTI
Multiple letters to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, brought no relief, so Delhi’s traders are now appealing to his INDIA bloc partners: Akhilesh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee, Tejashwi Yadav and Uddhav ThackerayThey want help saving the peak Diwali shopping season.
In its letter to Opposition leaders, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) asked them to nudge the Congress into rescheduling Sunday’s Ramlila Maidan rally for some time after November 10-11.
At stake, according to the traders’ body, is daily business worth Rs 10,000-12,000 crore across around 20 major wholesale and retail markets in central and Old Delhi.
CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal said the association was not against the rally but feared that the expected gathering of 10 lakh people and 15,000-20,000 vehicles could bring commercial activity to a standstill“We are not opposing the rallyWe are pleading with folded hands to protect our livelihoods during the peak Diwali season,” he said.
Dhanteras falls on November 6 and Diwali on November 8The traders say November 1 is among the most crucial days for stocking goods and preparing for the festive rush.
20,000 vehicles – where will they park?
One of the biggest concerns for the traders’ body is simple: where will everyone park? It says Ramlila Maidan can’t take even 200 large buses, which means the thousands of buses, cars and other vehicles heading to the rally could end up clogging the major roads around it.
Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg and roads around Chandni Chowk and Ajmeri Gate could witness severe congestion, the association warned.
CTI fears the gathering could create “lockdown-like” traffic conditions across central and Old Delhi, affecting markets such as Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Connaught Place, Khari Baoli, Bhagirath Palace, Chawri Bazar, Karol Bagh and DaryaganjThese markets receive around 5,000 trucks and tempos carrying goods from Delhi’s industrial areas every day, while another 3,000 vehicles transport merchandise to NCR cities and other parts of the country, according to CTI.
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The disruption could begin as early as October 31, with vehicles expected to arrive through the Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Badarpur borders.
The association claimed that transporters were already reluctant to dispatch goods over fears of barricading and traffic restrictions.
It also cited an October 10 gathering at Jantar Mantar, claiming that a turnout of just 5,000-7,000 people had caused traffic congestion for nearly eight hours.
‘Last hope with you’
The traders are asking for either of two changesThey want the rally put off until after Diwali, or held at Burari Ground instead, where the CTI says there’s room for about 15,000 vehiclesAccording to Goyal, the association has already gone to Rahul Gandhi three times and couldn’t get him to shift the date.
“We appealed to Rahul Gandhi, but he refusedNow our last hope is with you,” he said in his appeal to the INDIA bloc leaders.
“These 20 markets are not just marketsThey are the heartbeat of DelhiIf central Delhi witnesses lockdown-like traffic congestion on October 31 and November 1, how will traders receive and dispatch goods for Dhanteras?” Goyal asked.
November 1 rally
The November 1 rally is the Opposition’s latest push over alleged electoral irregularities, with a demand that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar be removedResponding to the traders earlier, Rahul Gandhi said the protest could end in ’30 seconds’ if Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed the CECDelhi Police has allowed the rally with conditions, including parking only at designated spots.
