Delhi’s Municipal Corporation announced the removal of Jantar Mantar from the list of official protest grounds, effective immediately. The city has designated Ramlila Maidan, CBS Ground and Burari Ground as substitutes. Organisers now face a steep financial barrier that could alter the landscape of street politics.
Ramlila Maidan, the historic site that has hosted rallies for over a century, now demands a total of ₹1,21,080 to host a single‑day event. The charges comprise a ₹50,000 security deposit, ₹5,000 ground‑security fee, ₹50,000 daily rental, ₹4,000 sanitation, ₹2,000 licence fee, and ₹10,080 GST. The cumulative cost leaves protest groups with a budget that is hard to match.
The Delhi Development Authority has listed CBS Ground in Shahdara as a potential venue. A one‑day booking of a 3,000‑square‑metre plot costs ₹1,07,614, broken down into a ₹95,832 security deposit, ₹9,982 sanitation, and ₹1,800 GST. After the deposit, the daily rate stands at ₹11,782.
Burari Ground, currently shown as Bhalswa Ground on the DDA portal, requires a staggering ₹2,87,333 for an 8,000‑square‑metre area. The deposit alone is ₹2,55,552, while daily sanitation is ₹26,933 and taxes ₹4,850, resulting in a net daily cost of ₹31,733. Such figures make the site prohibitively expensive for most organisers.
The move will push protest groups into a financial crunch that could limit their ability to mobilise. Civic groups are calling for clearer guidelines on the allocation of public spaces for political activity. The DDA is expected to publish its final rules within the coming weeks.