New Delhi Protest Sites Face Hurdles at Ramlila Maidan, CBD Ground, and Burari

New Venues

Following the de-notification of Jantar Mantar as a protest site, three alternative locations have been designated in Delhi: Ramlila Maidan, CBD Ground in Shahdara, and Burari Ground.

Ramlila Maidan

Located three to four kilometres from Jantar Mantar, Ramlila Maidan is the closest alternative and can hold around 50,000 people. However, visits reveal obstacles including booking costs of about fifty thousand rupees a day, security deposits, required traffic police no-objection certificates, waterlogged patches, and parts occupied by Dussehra celebrations, a giant wheel, food stalls, and Municipal Corporation of Delhi parking.

CBD Ground

Situated roughly thirteen kilometres away in east Delhi, the twelve-acre CBD Ground in Shahdara has a section that accommodates around 15,000 people. The site faces challenges such as six-foot-tall grass, muddy patches, garbage, and competing use for weddings, fairs, and community events.

Burari Ground

Spanning about fifty acres along the Outer Ring Road in north Delhi, Burari Ground is the largest and farthest option at twenty-three kilometres from Jantar Mantar. It features waterlogged stretches, four-foot grass, unpaved routes, and restricted access due to perimeter wire fencing and wide pits dug at entry points by the Delhi Development Authority to stop vehicle entry. The site lacks shade, and farmer unions previously rejected it during the 2020-21 protests by calling it an open jail.

Context

Relocating protests away from central administrative zones often sparks debate over public access and freedom of expression. The Delhi Police stated that revised standard operating procedures for the three venues will be issued soon.