Delhi traders claimed a loss of Rs 11,000 crore due to the INDIA bloc rally held on November 1. The Chamber of Trade and Industry said 2.5 lakh shops shut down during the busy festive season. Many markets stayed closed, and transport services also got hit, causing significant financial trouble.
Traders body claimed 2.5 lakh shops were shut due to the rally
NDTV Photo
New Delhi:
Delhi traders' body has claimed a loss of business worth Rs 11,000 crore due to the INDIA bloc rally at the Ramlila Grounds in the Capital on Sunday.
Coming bang in the midst of the festive and shopping season, many prominent markets around the venue were shut due to the rally.
In its detailed assessment of losses, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has claimed that traders lost Rs 11,000 crore in business due to the rally.
The traders' association had, in the run-up to the rally, written multiple letters to the Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, appealing for the postponement of the rally to post-Diwali.
According to CTI chairman Brijesh Goyal, Delhi suffered a direct loss of approximately Rs 11,000 crore on November 1.
Giving the breakdown of the losses, the CTI claimed that retail and wholesale trade incurred losses to the tune of Rs 8,800 crore.
"Business activity came to a halt within a five-km radius of Ramlila Maidan. Shops were closed in main market areas, including Kashmiri Gate, Mori Gate, Chandni Chowk, Chawri Bazar, Khari Baoli, Naya Bazar, Sadar Bazar, Ajmeri Gate, Daryaganj, Paharganj, Kamala Market, Jama Masjid, Bhagirath Palace, Lajpat Rai Market, Kinari Bazar, Dariba Kalan, Ballimaran, Fatehpuri, Tilak Bazar, Connaught Place, Palika Bazar, Gaffar Market, and Karol Bagh," the CTI said.
It added that these markets have approximately 3 lakh shops, out of which around 2.5 lakh remained completely closed, and 80% of business activity came to a standstill.
The trade body further claimed that the transport and logistics segment also suffered losses of Rs 1,500 crore as movement of goods was halted in a 10-km radius.
Losses to hospitality, hotels, restaurants, and tourism sector have been pegged at Rs 500 crore. "Bookings were cancelled across more than 2,000 hotels, restaurants, guest houses, and dhabas in Central Delhi areas, including Connaught Place, Karol Bagh, Paharganj, Chandni Chowk, and Daryaganj," the CTI said.
The body also claimed that informal sector and daily wage workers were also hit by the shutdown. "Approximately 2 million people - including workers, loaders, auto-rickshaw and e-rickshaw drivers, street vendors, porters, and labourers - lost a full day's wages. These were to the tune of almost Rs 200 crore."
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi had blamed the Centre for "forcibly shutting down shops in the Capital". He had appealed to the protesters converging in Delhi on Sunday to also shop to help local businesses.
"We told everyone that when you come here for the march and the mega rally, do some shopping. But while coming to Connaught Place, we found out that the BJP has forcibly shut down every single shop," Rahul Gandhi said in a video.
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