Delhi’s new protest sites face access, infrastructure, visibility hurdles

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Updated - October 18, 2026 09:36 pm IST - NEW DELHI

A view of CBD Ground in Shahdara (East Delhi) — a 12-acre Delhi Development Authority (DDA) property that now serves as one of Delhi's newly designated protest sites following the de-notification of Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

After Jantar Mantar was denotified as a protest site, three alternative venues — Ramlila Maidan in central Delhi, CBD Ground in east Delhi and Burari Ground in north Delhi — have come into focus. But a visit to the sites reveals questions over their accessibility, infrastructure and availability, besides the distance protesters would have to travel to reach them.

A view of Ramlila Maidan after it was designated as one of the three protest sites. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Located around 3-4 km from Jantar Mantar, Ramlila Maidan is the closest of the three alternatives and has a long history of hosting political rallies and mass movements. However, its use for demonstrations could be constrained by the cost of booking the venue and a calendar crowded with other events.

During The Hindu’s visit, large conical tents, a giant wheel, amusement rides and food stalls occupied parts of the ground as Dasara celebrations continued in the city. Walking across the 12-acre site was difficult in places, with puddles dotting the ground.

Its location amid densely populated neighbourhoods and busy roads, though strategic, poses a traffic management challenge. It is managed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which charges a booking fee of around ₹50,000 a day, apart from a refundable security deposit. A no-objection certificate from the Delhi Traffic Police is also required to host events here. The venue can accommodate around 50,000 people.

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

A view of CBD Ground in Shahdara (East Delhi). | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Located around 13 km from Jantar Mantar, the Central Business District (CBD) Ground in Shahdara would shift demonstrations to east Delhi, away from the capital’s central political and administrative district. Spread across approximately 12 acres, one section of the ground has a capacity of around 15,000 people.

During The Hindu’s 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, raising concerns about its readiness to host public gatherings.

Mudit, a local resident, questioned whether the ground could be used for protests. “They may have designated CBD Ground as a protest site, but there will be no protest here. In my five or six years of living here, I have never seen this ground empty. One section is always booked for some wedding or function, while the other is covered only in shrubs and garbage, as you can see, with no basic facilities,” he said.

“People have to spend more than a lakh just to book the ground, and then lakhs of rupees go into putting up tents and decorating the space to make it suitable for people to sit here. Otherwise, the place has no facilities,” he added.

The ground is surrounded by residential colonies, markets, luxury hotels and other commercial establishments. It is also used for community events and wedding functions through the year, potentially complicating its availability for demonstrations.

“This is a commercial area with malls, hotels and many schools in the vicinity. If large protests are staged here, they may cause inconvenience to locals. Even getting to the office or school will become a challenge,” said a resident. “It is not fair for the government to announce such a decision without consulting the locals in the area because we will be the ones bearing the brunt,” the resident added.

Ramlal, a general store owner near the ground, raised concerns about the potential impact of restrictions on local businesses. “What if the restrictions they are imposing on New Delhi are imposed here too? What will we do? Our business is our livelihood. We can’t afford to keep our businesses shut,” he said.

A view of the Burari Ground. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma

Burari Ground, also known as Nirankari Ground, is the largest of the three proposed sites, spanning around 50 acres in north Delhi. Located approximately 23 km from Jantar Mantar, along the Outer Ring Road, it is also the farthest from the traditional protest hub.

The expansive ground presents a patchwork of terrain. During The Hindu’s 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.

According to the locals, the ground has served as an informal recreational space for residents, who used it to play cricket, football and other sports. Driving learners practised riding two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and cars, while cattle could be seen grazing across the open expanse.

But access was restricted during the visit. Wire fencing ran along the perimeter, 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 the ground.

Unlike a developed public venue, the ground has no shade, making temporary tents necessary for prolonged demonstrations. Depending on the section booked, the arrangements could add to the cost of holding a protest.

Rishab, a local from Burari who regularly plays cricket with his friends 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. Given the kind of protests we are seeing now in Delhi, how will that be sustainable?” he asked.

He also questioned the decision to move protests away from central Delhi. “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. They are stripping people of their basic rights,” he said.

Locals also indicated that larger crowds at the ground might affect traffic on the Outer Ring Road in the longer term.

Its distance from central Delhi presents another challenge. Reaching the ground would require protesters travelling from across the capital to make a longer journey, while demonstrations held there could be farther from the political institutions and public spaces where they seek to draw attention to their demands.

For this reason, during the 2020–21 farmers’ agitation, farmer unions rejected the government’s proposal to shift their demonstration to Burari, describing the site as an “open jail”.

Protesters also flagged concerns about commuting to the proposed sites. Burari, about 800 metres away, and Majlis Park, around three kilometres away, are the nearest Metro stations to Burari Ground. Karkardooma Court, around 600 metres away, and Karkardooma, about a kilometre away, are the nearest Metro stations to CBD Ground. The last mile remains a challenge in the case of Burari Ground.

“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? Will the problem have to wait until then?” asked Kunal, a protester.

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.

Published - October 18, 2026 06:33 am IST

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