Delhi Police will deploy over 3,000 personnel and instal more than 200 CCTV cameras, including AI-enabled surveillance systems, ahead of the protest, said an officer. The venue, which will host its first major demonstration since the denotification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site on October 11, has been divided into 14 zones to manage protesters. In a letter to Sonia Gandhi, the traders’ body said the proposed rally, which is expected to draw 10 lakh people, could affect business worth ₹10,000-12,000 crore in wholesale and retail markets in central and old Delhi during the peak festive season CTI urges delaying Congress rally to protect Delhi markets, citing ₹10,000-₹12,000 crore at risk during Diwali peak.
The Congress president’s official residence was decided as the venue after the Opposition bloc’s attempts to organise the event at the Ashok Hotel and Ramlila Maidan allegedly ran into hurdles over permissions. Sources said the postponement was due to weather conditions, as the lawns got muddy due to rains in New Delhi Security preparations are under way for the Opposition’s November 1 ‘Chalo Dilli’ event at Ramlila Maidan.
