The Jantar Mantar protest site has been removed from Delhi’s designated locations for demonstrations, with Delhi Police naming Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in Karkardooma as the new venues for protests and sit-ins.
The police order was issued on Monday, according to Live Hindustan – NCR. The change shifts authorised demonstrations away from one of the capital’s most central and recognisable protest locations and towards larger grounds spread across central, north-western and eastern Delhi.
Ramlila Maidan is the most central of the three alternatives. It is located near Delhi Gate Metro station, New Delhi railway station and several bus routes, making it comparatively accessible from different parts of the city. However, large gatherings at the venue can put pressure on surrounding roads and create parking challenges. The ground has previously been approved for rallies and protests with capacities of up to 50,000 people.
The CBD Ground in Karkardooma is around 10 to 12 kilometres from Jantar Mantar. It can be reached through Karkardooma and Shahdara Metro stations and is likely to be more convenient for residents of east Delhi and nearby areas. Groups travelling from west, south or central Delhi will face longer journeys. Organisers bringing participants by bus will also need to manage drop-off points and the final distance between transport locations and the ground.
Burari Ground is approximately 19 kilometres from central Delhi and provides a substantially larger open space. Police have previously approved events with capacities exceeding 50,000 people at the location. Its size, however, may change how smaller demonstrations appear in public. A gathering of 500 to 1,000 people that created a visible crowd at Jantar Mantar could appear dispersed at Burari or Ramlila Maidan.
The relocation also changes the logistical cost of organising a protest. At Jantar Mantar, a small demonstration could be arranged with limited equipment, including a few banners, a small loudspeaker system and a relatively small number of chairs. Demonstrators travelling to the new grounds may require advance arrangements for buses, food, water, parking, entry points and return journeys.
The distance from central Delhi could be particularly significant for groups arriving from rural areas, the National Capital Region, south Delhi and west Delhi. At Burari, late-night demonstrations may also be more difficult to organise than at Jantar Mantar because of the longer travel distance and the need to coordinate transport beyond the protest venue.
The police decision comes after several large demonstrations in the Lutyens’ Delhi area in recent months, including protests linked to the NEET paper-leak issue and a campaign against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, according to the report. The new order places the responsibility for crowd movement and logistical arrangements on organisers using the three designated grounds.
With Jantar Mantar no longer on the designated list, future protests in Delhi will be required to use Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground or CBD Ground under the locations specified in the police order.
