Delhi hotel associations have said police asked them to avoid fresh bookings from Delhi-NCR and verify the purpose of short-stay visitors ahead of an October 10 protest at Jantar Mantar, raising concerns among traders about guest screening, movement restrictions and the impact on business.
The alleged instructions were circulated among hotels and guest houses in areas including Paharganj and Karol Bagh as part of heightened security arrangements in central Delhi, according to a report by the Times of India. The report said the protest has been called by the Cockroach Janta Party, Left student organisations and the student wing of the Aam Aadmi Party, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Hotel associations have not described the communication as a formal written order. Instead, members said they had received requests or messages from police personnel and had advised establishments to remain cautious while handling bookings around the protest dates.
A member of Paharganj Hotels’ Mahasang said hotels had been asked to verify the reason for visits, particularly when bookings were made for short periods. The member said Delhi-NCR residents generally do not book hotels in Delhi unless they have a medical emergency, are attending an event or have another specific reason, but added that individual hotel owners would have to decide how to handle such cases.
The report also said police officers were monitoring people arriving in large groups, guests booking accommodation for short periods and third-party reservations. In Karol Bagh, a senior member of the Ajmal Khan Road Vyapar Mandal said similar messages had been circulated to guest houses and hotels following requests from police personnel.
The association member said hotels already verify identity documents, including Aadhaar cards, but cannot easily determine whether a guest’s stated reason for visiting is genuine or deny accommodation solely on that basis. Members were nevertheless asked to remain alert, according to the report.
The dispute places hotels in a difficult position between routine obligations to accommodate guests and informal security expectations during a major public gathering. The reported requests also raise practical questions about how private businesses are expected to distinguish tourists, patients, event visitors and potential protesters without a clearly defined screening procedure.
The possible effect extends beyond hotels. Traders said several facilities and prominent roads leading to central Delhi were shut or barricaded, while metro stations were expected to be closed around the protest. Such restrictions could discourage residents from travelling into central areas, including families planning to visit markets or dine out.
A member of the National Restaurant Association criticised the wider disruption, saying that restrictions imposed during protests often affect ordinary residents and businesses. The member said the capital should be able to manage demonstrations without causing inconvenience to the public.
The available report does not establish whether Delhi Police issued a formal directive, identify the number of hotels affected or specify the duration of any booking restrictions. The immediate operational issues for hotels remain guest verification, third-party bookings and access to central Delhi around the October 10 protest.
