CP traders slam closure of roads for Raahgiri, write to city police commissioner

The New Delhi Traders' Association (NDTA) has written to the city Police commissioner saying partial closure of Connaught Place on Sunday morning for Raahgiri is ''totally unacceptable'' to them.

The event is organised by the Delhi Traffic Police in collaboration with the Raahgiri Foundation in the Inner Circle of Connaught Place.

The Foundation with such event aim to achieve ''non-motorised, sustainable, inclusive, and emission-free transport.'' The Inner Circle of Connaught Place will be made vehicle-free from 6 am to 11 am on Sunday to celebrate Raahgiri Day. No vehicles would be allowed on any of the radial roads entering the Inner Circle from the Outer Circle.

In the letter written on Saturday, the traders' body representing the upscale market said it accepted closure of the market for three days during the G20 Summit considering it was a matter of ''national security'' and ''national pride'' but it refuses to put up with another closure. ''We strongly condemn and oppose closure of CP for Raahgiri on Sunday. The recent closure of market for three days for G20 was duly accepted due to national security and national pride but it has left a huge financial dent on our market due to loss of sales for a week, now this partial closure again is totally unacceptable to us,'' read the letter.

It said the closure will leave traders bereft of supplies and crucial sales since weekends are their main business days and restaurants receive their supplies early Sunday morning. It also said the traffic advisory crates a perception that CP will be closed for the entire day, which will lead to scant footfall and a cut in their business.

''Connaught Place is a commercial complex and not a cultural centre, (or) public park, but a marketplace. We urge the authorities to shift such public activities of leisure to public spaces like India Gate, Buddha Jayanti Park or Jantar Mantar. ''Please let us do our business peacefully and do not block the roads leading to our shops, it kills our business, public should not rejoice at our cost,'' it said.

The NDTA has opposed the Raahgiri event earlier too in CP.

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