Visitor numbers at Connaught Place remained low on a Friday afternoon, even as a festive period was already under way. Demonstrations and a notable police deployment took hold in sections of the market, with stores remaining open throughout, though foot traffic slowed and traders in the area expressed uncertainty about sales at a time of year when demand is typically at its highest.
Retailers who depend heavily on weekend trade expressed concern that a sustained drop in revenue could strain their ability to cover rent obligations, payroll, and day-to-day operating costs. A staff member at Wenger's, a store operating within CP, noted that roughly 80 to 90 percent of the location's trade is concentrated across Saturday and Sunday.
A vendor from Gujarat who travels to CP each season to sell traditional products from her home state noted that foot traffic had dropped well below what she normally sees, adding that her family had advised her against making the trip this year, though she chose to come regardless. "Customer numbers remain low," she noted.
Shopkeepers at Connaught Place, Khan Market, and a number of Old Delhi bazaars have raised concerns about recurring demonstrations in central Delhi during the festive period, saying that road blockages and movement curbs have weighed on trade, with revenue on protest days falling to around a tenth of normal levels in some cases. Separate letters addressed to the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, and Delhi Police carried the traders' renewed call for protest venues to be relocated away from key commercial areas, citing lost revenue during peak selling periods.
Trade bodies from multiple sectors have filed petitions before the Supreme Court in pursuit of judicial relief. A hearing date of 26 October has been entered onto the court's docket.
Releasing a statement late on Thursday, the New Delhi Traders Association urged all parties and protesters to treat Connaught Place as a commercial zone rather than a venue for public assemblies, with its social media posts arguing that the right to protest ought not to undermine traders' day-to-day earnings. Association president Atul Bhargava separately noted that an INDIA bloc rally planned for Friday — scheduled in the wake of the CJP's 'Lehra Do Tiranga' event — placed additional pressure on traders who face ongoing financial commitments such as rent, employee salaries, and property tax. "The losses mounting against us have been considerable," he told reporters.
Bhargava contended that Connaught Place functions as a vital node for both commerce and traffic flow between the northern and southern parts of Delhi, and that those wishing to demonstrate ought to do so at spaces set aside for that purpose. Responding to a social media post from CJP's Abhijit Dipke — who contended that government-ordered shutdowns, internet cutoffs, and restrictions on movement inflict greater harm on businesses than peaceful protests do — Bhargava indicated that traders' unease stemmed from past instances in which demonstrations had grown disruptive and generated financial losses.
Trader associations including the Delhi Kirana Committee and the Khan Market Traders' Association have also submitted petitions on the matter. According to a statement from KMTA president Sanjiv Mehra, vehicle and pedestrian access routes connecting Khan Market to Nizamuddin, India Habitat Centre, Safdarjung, and Race Course had each been shut off. Mehra noted that the court had left open the possibility of awarding compensation to traders who could demonstrate that the Tiranga Yatra had unlawfully cost them business.
Rajendra Kapoor, vice-president of Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh, wrote to the Prime Minister noting that trading hubs including Sadar Bazaar, Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli, Bhagirath Palace, Kashmere Gate, and Qutab Road draw buyers from across the country, and that traffic congestion tied to protest activity could limit customer access to shops, with knock-on effects on commerce well beyond the immediate area. Paramjeet Singh Pamma, president of Sadar Bazaar Bari Market Traders Association, separately noted that traders were already contending with inflationary pressures before the demonstrations added a further layer of strain on their businesses.
Vinay Thakur, general secretary of the Palika Bazaar Market Shopkeepers' Association, noted that traders were navigating a second straight weekend of disruption, adding that pre-purchased festive stock left unsold ties up working capital and places a mounting strain on cash flow. Thakur also raised the matter of shopkeepers' right to earn a living.
