Trade activity to halt for 3 days due to Delhi Bandh

New Delhi, Oct 29 (UNI) Commercial activities in Delhi will witness a complete shutdown for three days from tomorrow in response to a 72-hour Delhi Bandh call by traders in protest against the proposed sealing drive by the MCD from November 1.

With no concrete relief to traders from the proposed sealing drive seems in sight, traders in Delhi have geared themselves up to make the proposed three-day Delhi bandh from tomorrow morning, a huge success.

Shopkeepers in all the major markets in Delhi, including commercial hubs like Karol Bagh, Rohini, Lajpat nagar, Pitampura and Rajouri Garden, will down their shutters during the Delhi bandh, called by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) in protest against the proposed sealing of shops of over 40000 traders who had submitted affidavits in the Supreme Court to close down their operations by June 30.

Even the Connaught Place market, the commercial hub of Delhi, will remain closed during the bandh, CAIT sources said.

''There will be no trading activities in Delhi in the next three days,''they said.

In addition, the traders would hold dharnas and protests in various markets during the bandh. The agitating traders also plan to "gherao" the Delhi Assembly on the first day of its session starting tomorrow.

However, to avoid any inconvenience to the generalpublic, essential services, vegetable and transport have been exempted from the bandh.

The bandh has evoked wide a support from several groups and organisations even those who are not directly affected by the sealing drive.

All major political parties including the BJP and the Congress, have extended their support to it.

The BJP has already announced it decision to gherao the Delhi assembly on the opening day of the session tomorrow. Thousands of leaders, office bearers and workers of the Delhi Pradesh BJP will march tomorrow morning to gherao the State assembly.

Medical professionals have also come out in support of the bandh.

According to a statement by the Delhi Medical Association, while on the first two days the medical professionals will wear black badges and hold dharnas to protest the sealing drive, on November 1 regular medical sevices would be shut down.

Emergency services would, however, continue to operate, the DMA said.

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