Delhi’s festive and wedding season trade could face disruption valued at nearly Rs 250 crore a day if demonstrations, road blockades and traffic restrictions limit access to key markets, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has warned.
The trade body has appealed to political parties to conduct protests at designated sites and avoid interrupting commercial activity between October 2026 and January 2027, a period expected to see heavy shopping and wedding-related demand.
CAIT National Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said Delhi’s daily trade turnover during this period is estimated at Rs 500 crore to Rs 600 crore. He said disruptions in major commercial areas of Old Delhi and New Delhi alone could put around Rs 250 crore of daily business at risk.
The season includes Navratri, Dussehra, Diwali, Chhath Puja, Christmas and New Year celebrations, in addition to weddings. These occasions typically generate significant demand for goods and services across the capital’s commercial network.
CAIT and other trade associations estimate that Delhi has more than 10 lakh business establishments, providing livelihoods to over one crore people. About five lakh traders from various states visit the capital each day for business.
According to the associations, restrictions on access to markets could affect a wide range of stakeholders, including shopkeepers, employees, transport operators, suppliers, small business owners and consumers. Blocked roads and limits on vehicle movement could obstruct both the delivery of goods and the arrival of customers.
In a joint appeal, the trade bodies asked the government to earmark specific locations for demonstrations, protests and sit-ins. They said this would allow democratic activities to continue without disrupting trade, transport and routine public life.
The associations also called on political parties to keep protests within the designated areas and restrict their duration. They stressed that Delhi’s borders, major roads and commercial centres such as Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar and Connaught Place should remain accessible.
The appeal has received the support of several trade organisations, including the New Delhi Traders Association, Khan Market Traders Association, Delhi Iron and Hardware Merchants Association, Delhi Drug Dealers Association, Cloth Market Fatehpuri and Delhi Electrical Merchants Association, among others.
The trade bodies said the festive period is especially important for businesses because increased consumer spending and wedding purchases support a large network of traders and service providers.
“Politics has its own place, and business has its own,” the associations said in their joint statement. They added that the right to protest should not undermine traders’ livelihoods or disrupt everyday economic activity.
They further pointed to the effect on national supply chains, stating that interruptions in Delhi, one of India’s major trading hubs, could have commercial consequences beyond the capital.
The associations have called for a balance between democratic rights and economic activity, urging political parties to ensure that traders and customers can reach markets during the peak business season.
Follow us
