New Delhi, November 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has urged Delhi Police to prohibit rallies, sit-ins and protest marches at major locations in the national capital until November 11, citing an estimated ₹14,000 crore in business losses over the past month and warning that further disruptions could hit the crucial Diwali shopping season.
In a letter to Delhi Police Commissioner dated November 3, the traders’ body sought restrictions on demonstrations at Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar, Ramlila Maidan, India Gate, Rajghat, Delhi Gate and other commercial and central areas until Bhaiya Dooj.
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said traders had already suffered substantial losses because of repeated demonstrations and traffic congestion and could not afford further disruption during the busiest shopping period of the year.
According to the CTI’s estimates, businesses across Delhi lost around ₹14,000 crore between October 1 and November 1. The organisation attributed approximately ₹3,000 crore in losses to traffic disruptions caused by protests at Jantar Mantar, Connaught Place, Patel Chowk and Janpath during October.
It separately estimated that the November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan alone caused losses of nearly ₹11,000 crore across sectors. Retail and wholesale trade accounted for an estimated ₹8,800 crore of this amount.
The CTI claimed that nearly 2.5 lakh shops remained shut on the day of the rally, disrupting around 80 per cent of commercial activity in markets within a five-kilometre radius of Ramlila Maidan. The affected areas included Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Kashmere Gate, Daryaganj, Karol Bagh and Connaught Place.
The traders’ body also estimated losses of ₹1,500 crore in transport and logistics, ₹500 crore in hospitality and tourism, and ₹200 crore among informal-sector and daily-wage workers. It said traffic restrictions disrupted goods movement, hotel bookings and customer access to markets and tourist destinations.
Goyal said the timing was particularly damaging, as Dhanteras falls on November 6, Diwali on November 8 and Bhaiya Dooj on November 11. The next 10 days, he said, represented a major business opportunity for around 20 lakh traders and 75 lakh employees associated with Delhi’s commercial establishments.
The CTI has proposed three measures: stopping demonstrations at key locations until November 11, designating alternative venues such as Burari, Alipur, Jasola and Yamuna Khadar for protests, and ensuring smooth traffic movement and adequate parking in Central Delhi.
Warning of further action, Goyal said traders would be compelled to hand over their shop keys to rally organisers if businesses continued to suffer during the festive period.
The ₹14,000-crore loss figure and sector-wise estimates are claims made by the CTI; no independent assessment was cited in the statement.
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