BJP On Wednesday - march - led by MP Praveen Khandelwal - Chandni Chowk - also President of Confederation of All India Traders - march against alleged illegal Bangladeshi voters in Old Delhi - claims 5,000 deletions needed.
Traders - Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal - president Sanjay Bhargava - says footfall down 40% Diwali season - barricades, construction, redevelopment Phase 2 - hanging wires, e-rickshaw ban, SIR checking - police checking IDs customers avoiding.
Business - Chandni Chowk - 300-year-old market 1 lakh daily visitors pre-Diwali - 25,000 shops - turnover Rs 5,000 crore Diwali month - now Rs 3,000 crore - loss Rs 100 crore per estimate - traders traditionally BJP voters - now upset - 2025 MCD polls BJP lost 3 of 7 wards in area.
Read more - GRAP Stage II Starts, Politics Doesn't Stop
Redevelopment - Rs 90 crore Phase 1 2021 - pedestrianisation - bollards - but Phase 2 - 2024-26 - digging for common utility duct - 2 km - dust - no parking - e-rickshaw ban 2023 - last mile issue.
SIR angle - Special Intensive Revision - Delhi - 47 lakh deletions - many in Old Delhi - tenants Chandni Chowk has 10,000 tenant voters - landlords not giving proof - ECI marking shifted.
BJP march - without police permission? Delhi Police allowed - but traders say politics hurting commerce - Diwali sales down 30% — similar to 2020 lockdown.
AAP - Atishi - says BJP doing politics - Chandni Chowk is commercial hub - needs trader-friendly not march.
Read more - Silencing The Walls That Talk Back
Need - trader-friendly SIR - mobile camps for enumeration - MCD should complete redevelopment before Diwali - deadline missed 3 times.
Tags: #ChandniChowk #BJPmarch #TradersLoss #DiwaliSales #Redevelopment #SIR #PraveenKhandelwal #OldDelhi #MCD