New Delhi, October 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has urged Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to postpone the party’s proposed November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan until after Diwali, warning that the event could disrupt business worth an estimated ₹10,000-12,000 crore across Delhi’s major wholesale and retail markets.
In a letter to Gandhi, the traders’ body requested that the rally, expected to draw around 10 lakh people, be shifted to November 10-11 or a later date. It said the proposed event coincides with the peak festive shopping period, with Dhanteras falling on November 6 and Diwali on November 8.
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal said traders were not opposed to the rally but feared that the arrival of a large number of participants and an estimated 15,000-20,000 vehicles could bring commercial activity in central Delhi to a standstill.
The organisation cited inadequate parking, traffic congestion, disruption to goods movement and losses to wholesale and retail trade as its main concerns. It said Ramlila Maidan lacked sufficient parking even for 200 large buses and questioned where the vehicles bringing rally participants would be accommodated.
The CTI identified around 20 major markets within a five-km radius of the venue, including Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Connaught Place, Bhagirath Palace, Khari Baoli, Kashmere Gate, Karol Bagh and Gaffar Market.
According to the organisation, around 5,000 trucks and tempos bring goods to these markets daily from 56 industrial areas, while nearly 3,000 trucks transport goods to cities across the National Capital Region and other states. It warned that transporters could avoid affected areas from October 31, disrupting supplies even before the rally.
The traders’ body also cited traffic congestion following a gathering of 5,000-7,000 people at Jantar Mantar on October 10, which it said affected central Delhi for nearly eight hours.
As an alternative to postponement, the CTI suggested shifting the rally to Burari Ground, claiming the venue can accommodate around 15,000 vehicles. Goyal said the organisation had previously written three letters to Rahul Gandhi seeking a change in the rally schedule.
The CTI said its appeal was intended to protect business activity and ensure the timely movement of festive goods during one of the most important trading periods of the year.
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