Delhi market closures during a protest on Saturday disrupted trading across more than a dozen major commercial areas and caused an estimated loss of over ₹2,000 crore, according to trader representatives quoted by Live Hindustan. Sadar Bazar, Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place and Karol Bagh were among the markets that remained shut, while customer footfall also fell sharply in areas that stayed open.
The shutdown came during a weekend when Delhi’s markets typically see some of their highest customer activity. Traders said the closures affected both retail and wholesale business, with the disruption extending beyond shops to hotels, restaurants, beauty parlours and salons. Several bookings were reportedly cancelled, while petrol pumps also saw fewer customers.
The estimate of more than ₹2,000 crore in losses was given by Brijesh Goyal, chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry. He said the city experienced conditions resembling a lockdown during the period of Navratri and Ramleela events, when traders would ordinarily expect markets to become busier. The figure is an industry estimate cited in the report and has not been independently verified.
Rakesh Yadav, president of the Federation of Sadar Bazaar Traders Association, said traders had expected strong sales on Saturday but decided to close the market because of security concerns. Sadar Bazar has around 40,000 shopkeepers, and the association said the closure caused losses running into crores for businesses in the area.
The disruption also affected movement and daily transactions in parts of central New Delhi. Internet services were reportedly suspended in and around Jantar Mantar and several nearby areas during the protest. This prevented cab drivers, autorickshaw drivers and gig workers from using Google Maps to identify routes. Visitors from outside Delhi were particularly affected because they lacked information about alternative roads and struggled to navigate between locations.
Digital payments were another point of disruption. With mobile internet unavailable, commuters and customers were reportedly unable to use UPI at a time when metro stations and Delhi Transport Corporation bus services in the New Delhi area were also shut. Some people turned to autorickshaws, bike taxis and taxis, but those without cash faced difficulty completing payments.
Wholesale markets will remain closed on Sunday because of their regular weekly holiday, according to the report. Trading and other commercial activity is expected to resume on Monday, when the immediate impact of the protest-related closures can be assessed by businesses and market associations.
