Delhi's new protest site Ramlila Maidan costs Rs 1.21 lakh a day, only 3 dates available

Ramlila Maidan, newly notified as a Delhi protest venue, is available only on three December dates. The paid booking system and limited free space have raised questions over access to demonstrations.

In Short

• Delhi Police now requires separate SOPs for protests at three venues
• Booking the ground needs MCD approval and police no-objection certificate first
• Organisers must pay Rs 50,000 daily plus refundable security and taxes

Ramlila Maidan, one of the three new venues designated for protests and demonstrations in Delhi, has only three dates available for booking over the next two and a half months, with December 29, 30 and 31 currently open, officials said. Booking the 12-acre ground, which can accommodate around 50,000 people, requires an initial outlay of Rs 1.21 lakh for a day, including a refundable security deposit and taxes.

The development comes a day after Delhi Police de-notified Jantar Mantar as a protest site and designated Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground in north Delhi and CBD Ground in east Delhi as the new venues in a standing order issued by Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar on October 11. A revised standard operating procedure for protests at the three locations will be issued separately, police said.

RS 1.21 LAKH INITIAL OUTLAY FOR A DAY'S BOOKING

Officials said Ramlila Maidan can be booked for Rs 50,000 per day, with a refundable security deposit of Rs 55,000. Including taxes, the initial payment comes to Rs 1.21 lakh for a day's booking.

The ground is booked through the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's horticulture department, which grants permission for its use. A no-objection certificate from Delhi Police is mandatory before the civic body clears an application.

A small portion of the ground is available free for protests and gatherings, civic officials said, but it can accommodate only around 150 people.

The booking charges could make the venue expensive for organisations and resident groups planning demonstrations, particularly when compared with Jantar Mantar, where no such payment was required, protesters said.

"If given up for protest without any fees, the civic body will stand to lose at least Rs 50,000 plus per day," an official said.

AAP QUESTIONS AVAILABILITY OF PROTEST VENUE

AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the decision to designate Ramlila Maidan as a protest site, pointing to existing bookings at the ground.

"Govt played another fraud with its citizens. The Ramlila Maidan is occupied with two Ramlilas," he said in a post on X. "How can one hold a protest here? Do they want to create chaos?" he asked.

Civic officials said the ground was already booked for various programmes and festivities, with major festivals, including Dussehra and Diwali, due in the coming weeks.

TRAFFIC CONCERNS AROUND RAMLILA MAIDAN

Officials also flagged traffic concerns, noting that the ground is located in a busy commercial area near three hospitals and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) headquarters.

Large gatherings at the venue have often put pressure on surrounding roads. Police usually convert the two-way Asaf Ali Road into a one-way stretch during major events and divert traffic headed for Deshbandhu Gupta Road to the parallel Jawaharlal Nehru Marg.

Both roads are already congested and affected by encroachments, officials said.

One official recalled that a BJP rally at the venue in 2014 caused a traffic jam extending up to ITO, nearly 4 km away, despite it being a Sunday with relatively light traffic.

FROM A POND TO A MAJOR PUBLIC GATHERING GROUND

According to officials, Ramlila Maidan was a pond until 1930, when it was filled and levelled to facilitate Ramlila performances. The tradition began in 1932 and continues to this day, giving the ground its name.

After Independence, the area was developed in 1951 to provide livelihoods to refugees who had arrived from Pakistan. It subsequently became an important venue for political rallies and public gatherings.

In 1952, Syama Prasad Mookerjee launched a satyagraha at the ground demanding the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir into the Indian Union. Jawaharlal Nehru addressed large public meetings there in 1956 and 1957. A permanent stage was built in 1962 for a public event in honour of Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to India.

Then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed a rally at the ground following India's victory over Pakistan in 1971. A public meeting was also held there on November 26, 1974, in honour of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

On June 25, 1975, the day the Emergency was declared, socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed a rally at the venue.

More recently, Arvind Kejriwal took oath as Delhi Chief Minister at Ramlila Maidan in 2013, 2015 and 2020.

Despite being designated as one of Delhi's new protest venues, Ramlila Maidan currently has only three dates available for booking until the end of the year. While a small section can be used free of charge, its capacity is limited to around 150 people, and booking the full ground requires an initial payment of Rs 1.21 lakh for a day.

- Ends
With PTI inputs