The curbs announced by the government on Saturday regarding the movement of people, in light of the protest called by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) and left students’ groups, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, has left a cloud of uncertainty over some business events scheduled to be held in the weekend.
The Delhi police has enforced restrictions across locations in central Delhi, with heavy barricading near Jantar Mantar, the site of the agitation by students in July. Internet services have also been suspended in a four-kilometre radius in the central parts of the city from 10 pm on Friday. Separately, the Indian Railways cancelled many trains that were scheduled to arrive in the city on Saturday, and the Delhi Metro announced the closure of 45 stations from 9 pm on Friday till 6 pm on Saturday.
Later on Friday evening, the Delhi Traffic Police announced a series of restrictions on traffic movement, including diversions on several key roads. “Commuters are requested not to undertake non-essential travel,” it said in an advisory, though it added that the measures are dynamic and restrictions “will be relaxed or regulated based on real-time ground assessment”.
This has prompted the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) to advise shops, restaurants and other commercial establishments located in the area to remain closed on Saturday.
Considering the situation, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) cancelled a curtain-raiser that was to be held
on Saturday ahead of the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC)-2026, which will be held later in the month. The curtain-raiser, which was to be followed by a media interaction session, was scheduled to be held at the ICAR–Indian Institute of Farming Systems Research (IIFSR), Modipuram, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
The four-day India Mobile Congress by the telecom ministry could also be impacted. It may see far fewer visitors than anticipated.
Several executives who had travelled to Delhi for the event from Mumbai and Bengaluru are learnt to have rescheduled their departure plans to Friday evening or early Saturday morning. Some attendees and delegates from within Delhi are also expected to give the last day a miss, fearing that metro connectivity to Yashobhoomi might be impacted. Three sessions are scheduled to be held today.
Meanwhile, the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual meet, to be held at the Le Méridien in central Delhi on Saturday, was expected to go ahead till press time Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, and Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu are scheduled to take part in the event.
An official at the industry lobby, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said any change to the schedule, if required, would be notified on Saturday.
Traders in the central district also lamented the impact of the measures. Dussehra begins on Sunday and some were expecting to do brisk business, but they said the curbs had already begun impacting business on Friday. “Business is down at least 40 per cent and is expected to go further down if this continues,” said Sidharth Sethi, co-owner of Madan Lal Halwai in Sadar Bazaar. He said though the shop was open, the approach roads had been barricaded.
Sudhir Kumar Mintu, an electronic trader from Bhagirath Palace market and general secretary of the Bhagirath Palace Electronics & Electrical Traders Association, said closing business on Saturday would mean missing out on the whole weekend. “There is no official order, but the authorities are asking us to close shop,” he said. He added that there is a sense of uncertainty because traders anticipate restrictions over the weekend.
