Traders urge Sonia Gandhi to defer INDIA bloc rally, flag Rs 12,000-crore loss risk

Delhi traders have written to Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, urging her to postpone the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan until after Diwali, warning that the event could disrupt business worth Rs 10,000-12,000 crore across 20 major markets in the national capital.

The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), which represents traders and entrepreneurs, said the rally, expected to draw around 10 lakh people and 15,000-20,000 vehicles, could trigger traffic congestion across central and old Delhi during the peak festive shopping season.

In a letter to Sonia Gandhi, CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal requested that the rally be rescheduled to November 10-11 or later. The traders' body also proposed shifting the event to Burari ground if postponement was not possible, citing the availability of parking space for around 15,000 vehicles CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal's letter to Sonia Gandhi urging her to postpone the November 1 INDIA bloc rally until after Diwali, citing concerns over disruption to Delhi's festive-season business. .

Goyal said the traders were not opposed to the rally but were concerned about the impact on their livelihoods during the crucial period ahead of Dhanteras on November 6 and Diwali on November 8.

"We are not opposing the rally. We are folding our hands and requesting that our livelihoods be protected during the peak Diwali season," he said.WHY DELHI TRADERS FEAR BUSINESS DISRUPTION

According to the CTI, nearly 20 major wholesale and retail markets are located within a five-km radius of Ramlila Maidan. These markets collectively record daily business worth Rs 10,000-12,000 crore and supply goods to several parts of the country.

The markets identified by the traders' body include Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazar, Connaught Place, Palika Bazar, Janpath, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Kashmere Gate, Nai 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 CTI said around 5,000 trucks and tempos bring goods to these markets daily from 56 industrial areas, including Narela, Bawana, Okhla, Mayapuri, Mundka, Udyog Nagar and Mangolpuri.

Another 3,000 trucks transport goods from these markets to 25 cities across the National Capital Region, including Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Sonipat and Panipat, as well as other states.

The traders warned that the absence of adequate parking at Ramlila Maidan could worsen the situation, as the venue does not have space to accommodate even 200 large buses.

They said the expected movement of thousands of buses, cars and tempos could affect major roads, including Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, Netaji Subhash Marg, Ajmeri Gate Road and Chandni Chowk Road, potentially bringing central and old Delhi to a standstill.TRAFFIC DISRUPTION MAY BEGIN FROM OCTOBER 31

The CTI also warned that the disruption could begin a day before the rally, on October 31.

According to the traders' body, buses and vehicles carrying rally participants could start arriving at Delhi's borders, including Singhu, Tikri, Ghazipur and Badarpur, from the afternoon.

Barricading on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and Jawaharlal Nehru Marg could begin later in the day, affecting the movement of commercial vehicles.

The CTI claimed that transporters had already started expressing reluctance to send vehicles to the markets from October 31, raising concerns about the movement of festive goods.

Citing an earlier instance, Goyal said central Delhi had witnessed traffic congestion for nearly eight hours on October 10, when around 5,000-7,000 people gathered for a protest at Jantar Mantar.

The traders fear that a rally expected to attract 10 lakh people could cause significantly greater disruption.CTI SAYS IT HAS WRITTEN TO RAHUL GANDHI THREE TIMES

The latest appeal to Sonia Gandhi comes after the traders' body approached Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi several times, seeking a meeting and requesting him to defer the rally.

The CTI said it had written three letters to Rahul Gandhi but had not received a favourable response. Goyal said the organisation was now approaching Sonia Gandhi as its last hope.

The traders' body had earlier sought a 20-minute meeting with Rahul Gandhi, saying it wanted a dialogue rather than a confrontation. It had also offered to withdraw its protest if Gandhi could convince traders that the rally would benefit their businesses.

Goyal said the traders hoped Sonia Gandhi would consider their concerns and intervene to ensure that the festive business season was not affected.WHY IS THE INDIA BLOC HOLDING THE NOVEMBER 1 RALLY?

The INDIA bloc's November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan is aimed at intensifying its campaign against the government over alleged "vote chori" and demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Opposition leaders have been raising allegations of electoral malpractice and questioning the conduct of the voter roll revision exercise.

On October 12, opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, activists and civil society members, participated in a 'March for Democracy' in Delhi to protest against alleged vote theft. The march culminated at the Supreme Court, where participants filed a joint petition challenging the SIR.

The opposition bloc subsequently reiterated its resolve to continue its campaign against the alleged electoral irregularities.- Ends

Sushant Mehra is a correspondent at India Today group who covers Delhi politics and all major news all across Delhi-NCR.