Delhi protests could disrupt trade worth up to ₹4,000 crore over 10 days, traders say

CAIT said that Delhi’s estimated average daily business turnover of approximately ₹2,200 crore makes the commercial ecosystem particularly vulnerable to disruptions.

New Delhi, Oct 18: Protests in Delhi could put business transactions worth over Rs 400 crore at risk every day, with the potential exposure reaching Rs 4,000 crore over ten days if disruptions persist, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) Secretary General and Chandni Chowk MP Praveen Khandelwal said on Sunday.Expressing concern over the economic impact of prolonged protests, Khandelwal said disruptions to traffic, transportation, customer movement and market accessibility could significantly affect the capital's commercial activities, particularly during the crucial festive and wedding season.He clarified that the figures represent indicative estimates of business activity at risk and not verified actual losses.Delhi: On the impact of ongoing protests on Delhi’s businesses, BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal says, "The months from October to January are especially the festival season for all of us traders throughout the year, and business happens on a large scale. This time, it is estimated that around 700,000 crore rupees worth of business will take place across the country. If protests take place in this manner—protests happening without any prior notice and such a situation arising—it has caused heavy losses to business in Delhi. Roughly, if a broad assessment of the last 10 days is made, Delhi's traders have had to bear a business loss of around 4,000 crore rupees. No one is ready to understand their pain. And not just traders, but our street vendors and cart vendors who earn a living daily—those small people who do business every day and earn just enough to run their homes—a big blow has fallen upon the livelihoods of all of them..."— IANS (@ians_india) October 18, 2026Daily business turnover faces disruptionAccording to Khandelwal, Delhi's estimated average daily business turnover stands at approximately Rs 2,200 crore. Even a 10 per cent decline in business activity could affect transactions worth Rs 220 crore daily, while a 15 per cent decline could put Rs 330 crore at risk. If the disruption reduces business activity by 20 per cent, the amount at risk could rise to Rs 440 crore per day.#WATCH | Delhi | Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) Chairman Brijesh Goyal says, "Since these protests began recently, Delhi’s business sector has suffered losses exceeding ₹2,000 crore. The demonstrations on October 10 created a lockdown-like situation across the entire city; all major markets in Delhi remained closed. Furthermore, the service and hospitality sectors faced widespread booking cancellations... These protests deter both outside and local customers from visiting, causing severe distress to the business community and destabilising the economy. We urge the Government of India, the High Court, and the Supreme Court to immediately halt these protests and deny any permission for such demonstrations throughout the festive season, leading up to Diwali..."— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2026Based on these estimates, the cumulative exposure could approach Rs 4,000 crore over ten days if disruptions continue at the higher end of the projected range.‘Lehra Do Tiranga’: CJP Pune Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar’s Resignation At Protest Outside Collector’s OfficeKhandelwal stresses right to tradeKhandelwal emphasised that while the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, traders must also be able to conduct their businesses and earn their livelihoods without avoidable disruptions."Delhi is not merely the national capital; it is one of the country's most important centres of wholesale distribution, retail trade and commercial activity. Its markets connect manufacturers, distributors, retailers and consumers across India. Any prolonged disruption in Delhi therefore has a cascading impact on supply chains, business transactions and livelihoods far beyond the city," Khandelwal said.Also Watch:Balancing protests and economic activity"The right to protest and the right to trade are both integral to a functioning democracy. Protecting one should not mean disregarding the other. The larger public interest demands a responsible approach in which democratic expression, the rule of law, economic activity and the livelihood of millions of people are all duly respected," Khandelwal noted.(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)