From Connaught Place to Khan Market, Delhi’s traders count losses as protest curbs bite; plea reaches Supreme Court

Footfall down up to 90%, losses in the crores: the numbers behind Delhi’s retail slump during the CJP protests, and who disputes them

PGurus Newsdesk

October 16, 2026

The Supreme Court says it will step in if curbs are disproportionate. Read the key remarks and what the traders want

The Supreme Court said it will intervene if restrictions turn out to be disproportionate

Delhi’s biggest shopping hubs are struggling. Traders in Connaught Place and Khan Market say road closures, barricades and heavy security around the ongoing protests have driven customers away, just as the festive season gets going. A group of traders has now taken the matter to the Supreme Court.

Khan Market: “Business at a standstill”

Traders at Khan Market said earlier this week that the market is technically open, but barely anyone is coming. Khan Market Traders Association President Sanjeev Mehra said police barricades have cut off access and that they are managing only about 10 to 20 per cent of their normal business. Senior Vice President Brijgopal Khosla said repeated demonstrations were hurting trade.

The traders said they have no objection to people protesting. But they asked the Supreme Court to move the protest site to the Delhi border, so that people’s movement and businesses are not disrupted.

Connaught Place: plea in the Supreme Court

In Connaught Place, the New Delhi Traders Association and street vendors approached the court, saying road closures and tight security have cut off customers. Their lawyer told the bench that the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) had issued a notice the previous night closing Central Park on October 16 and 17, ahead of the CJP’s “Lehra do Tiranga” march at 5 pm on Friday.

The traders claimed that the protests and restrictions are costing more than Rs 250 crore a day. They asked for an urgent hearing, pointing to the coming festivals of Karwa Chauth, Dussehra, Diwali and Chhath Puja.

#WATCH | Delhi: Connaught Place wore a deserted look this morning. Police personnel remain deployed ahead of CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke’s call for a ‘Lehra Do Tiranga’ protest at Central Park here today. https://t.co/Ae4OO8MnZJ
— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2026

What the court said

The court declined to hear the plea urgently on Friday. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said it hoped “better sense will prevail” among all concerned. The bench acknowledged that small shopkeepers earn their livelihood during these days and that entire families face hardship. Justice Bagchi said the court will step in if restrictions turn out to be disproportionate, and that it has wide jurisdiction under public law and compensation law.

The scale of the damage

Industry estimates suggest footfall in high-street retail has dropped as much as 90 per cent, with shops losing Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh a day. One estimate puts the combined business impact at about Rs 2,000 crore. These are estimates by traders and industry sources, not audited figures.

The CJP’s response

The CJP has stuck to its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, has argued that the commercial distress comes not from the protests but from internet shutdowns and blocked infrastructure.

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