Commercial activities at a standstill at traders call Delhi Bandh

New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) Commercial activities in the capital came to a standstill today with more than four lakh traders downing their shutters in response to the Delhi Bandh called by the Confederation of All India traders (CAIT) to protest the sealing of commercial units on a Supreme Court order.

Leading commercial markets in the capital like Lajpat Nagar's Krishna market, the South Extension market, Greater Kailash, Kotla Mubarakpur, Kalkaji, Govindpuri, Green Park and Hauz Khas in South Delhi, the Jail Road, Tilak Nagar, Vikaspuri, Janakpuri, Uttam Nagar, Khyala, Nangal Rai and Naraina markets in West Delhi and Rohini, Shalimar Bagh, Pitampura, Ashok Vihar, Model Town, Azadpur, Kamla Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Roop Nagar, Malka Ganj, Subji Mandi, Ghanta ghar, Rani Bagh, Vikas Marg, Laxmi Nagar, Mayur Vihar, Jagatpuri, Gandhi Nagar, Krishna Nagar, Jheel, Khureji, Shahdara, Acharya Niketan, Vasundhara, Patparganj in North and East Delhi remained closed as part of Delhi Bandh, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), which is spearheading the traders agitation, said.

Though some wholesale dealers opened their shops in Kamla Nagar, Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Ajmeri Gate, Hauz Qazi and Chawri Bazaar, following an assurance by Union Urban Development Minister Ajay Maken, CAIT Secretary General, Praveen Khandelwal claimed that the Delhi bandh was successful and "spontaneous".

Almost five lakh small as well as big traders and their about 25 lakh employees shut shop today. According to Mr Khandelwal, today's shutdown will result in an estimate loss of Rs 250 crores of business thereby causing a revenue loss of about Rs 20 crore to the government.

He claimed that even small scale industries, cottage and household industry and large number of small workers doing petty jobs also joined the trade bandh.

Thousands of traders, small industrialists and their employees came out on the streets of commercial markets and industrial areas and organised protest rallies, dharnas and 'Chakka jam' at various places including Rohini, Pitampura, Govindpuri, Raja Garden chowk, Kashmiri Gate and Madhuban chowk.

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