Jantar Mantar denotified, three sites proposed

After Jantar Mantar was denotified as a protest site, Delhi designated three alternatives: Ramlila Maidan in central Delhi, CBD Ground in east Delhi and Burari Ground in north Delhi.

Ramlila Maidan: closest but crowded

Located three to four kilometres from Jantar Mantar, Ramlila Maidan has a long history of hosting political rallies.

Ramlila Maidan: waterlogged and muddy

Walking across the twelve-acre site was difficult in places, with puddles dotting the ground.The venue is managed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and charges a booking fee of around fifty thousand rupees a day.

Ramlila Maidan: limited space available

Beyond Dasara and Ramlila celebrations, the ground hosts rallies, marches and other events through the year. A portion is also used for Municipal Corporation of Delhi parking, further limiting available space at any given time.

CBD Ground: far from city centre

Located around thirteen kilometres from Jantar Mantar, the Central Business District Ground in Shahdara would shift demonstrations to east Delhi, away from the capital's central political and administrative district.

CBD Ground: overgrown and muddy

During a visit, parts of the ground were occupied by Ramlila celebrations and a fair.In another part, grass as tall as six feet stretched across a large expanse, broken by muddy patches and scattered garbage.

CBD Ground: expensive and always booked

A local resident said the ground will never host protests.People must spend more than a lakh just to book the ground, then lakhs more for tents and decoration.

“They may have designated CBD Ground as a protest site, but there will be no protest here.”

CBD Ground: local business concerns

A general store owner near the ground raised concerns about potential impact of restrictions on local businesses. He asked what would happen if restrictions imposed on New Delhi were imposed here too.

“What if the restrictions they are imposing on New Delhi are imposed here too? What will we do?”

Burari Ground: largest but farthest

Burari Ground, also known as Nirankari Ground, spans around fifty acres in north Delhi. Located approximately twenty-three kilometres from Jantar Mantar along the Outer Ring Road, it is the farthest from the traditional protest hub.

Burari Ground: waterlogged and uneven

During a visit on Saturday, waterlogged stretches lay alongside green patches where grass had grown to around four feet. Tarred tracks cut through sections of the ground, while other routes remained unpaved.

Burari Ground: access restricted

Wire fencing ran along the perimeter of Burari Ground, while wide pits had been dug at entry points to prevent vehicles from entering. A large yellow board bearing the Delhi Development Authority's name stood outside.

Burari Ground: no basic facilities

A local who regularly plays cricket at the ground flagged the lack of basic facilities. There are no toilets, no water facilities, no food or shelter for people to stay there during longer demonstrations.

“There are no toilets, no water facilities, no food or shelter for people to stay there during longer demonstrations.”

Burari Ground: rejected in farmers' agitation

During the two thousand twenty to twenty-one farmers' agitation, farmer unions rejected the government's proposal to shift their demonstration to Burari, describing the site as an open jail.

Burari Ground: poor metro connectivity

Burari, about eight hundred metres away, and Majlis Park, around three kilometres away, are the nearest Metro stations to Burari Ground. The last mile remains a challenge for reaching the site.

Protesters question spontaneous demonstrations

A protester asked who will book venues three months in advance or travel for one point five hours to the other end of the city if there is a crisis in the city or country…

“If there's a crisis in the city or country and protesters need a place to voice their dissent, who will book venues three months in advance or travel for 1.5 hours to the other end of the city?”

Protester: relocation weakens democracy

A local from Burari questioned the decision to move protests away from central Delhi.The government only wants to weaken democracy by removing people from the centre and pushing them into one corner of the city.

“The government only wants to weaken democracy. They are just removing people from the centre and pushing them into one corner of the city, outside.”

Delhi Police to issue revised procedures

The Delhi Police said revised standard operating procedures for the three venues, detailing how demonstrations would be organised under the new arrangement, would be issued.