The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) on Sunday claimed that around 2.5 lakh shops within a 5-kilometre radius of Delhi's Ramlila Maidan were likely to remain shut due to the mega rally organised by the INDIA bloc.
The traders' body has sent a fourth letter to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, expressing concerns over the potential impact of the rally on business activity, transportation and the movement of goods.
According to the CTI, nearly 3 lakh shops across major commercial centres are located in the affected area, of which around 80 per cent are expected to remain closed.
The CTI's latest concerns came a day after Rahul Gandhi appealed to people attending the INDIA bloc rally to support local traders by making festive purchases during their visit to the national capital.
Brijesh Goyal, National Chairman of the CTI, was quoted by ANI as saying that although Rahul Gandhi had urged rally participants to visit nearby markets and support local businesses, apprehensions over traffic restrictions and the expected crowds had prompted many shopkeepers to keep their establishments closed.
“Given the panic that has set in—that 10 lakh people and tens of thousands of vehicles will arrive—since last night, across our various WhatsApp groups representing different markets, most shopkeepers have been messaging that they will not be able to open their shops and will not be going to work,” he said.
Goyal further claimed that transportation and loading and unloading operations had been disrupted in markets within a 10-kilometre radius of the rally venue, affecting the movement of goods from industrial areas and wholesale markets.
He also said that customers from outside Delhi were unlikely to visit the city's markets due to the expected disruptions.
“Outstation customers will not be visiting Delhi's markets today. These 20 to 22 major wholesale and retail markets collectively witness ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 crore in business daily—some markets clock ₹800 crore, others ₹600 crore, and some ₹400 crore every day. Especially now, during the peak shopping season for Diwali and Dhanteras, this ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 crore worth of commerce in these 22 major markets will suffer severe losses,” he said.
“Who will compensate for this? Who will make up for these losses? This is a serious question, and for this reason, CTI has addressed a fourth letter to Rahul Gandhi ji today,” he added.
The INDIA bloc is holding a mega rally at Ramlila Maidan against alleged electoral irregularities and to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
The Opposition has organised a march from Minto Road to Ramlila Maidan, followed by a rally expected to bring together political parties, student groups and civil society organisations. Several leaders and supporters from different states have arrived in the national capital for the show of strength.
