Brijesh Goyal, chairman of the Chamber of Trade and Industry, told a press conference on Saturday that protests and security curbs have already cost Delhi businesses 3,000 crore this month. Goyal broke the figure down, saying the demonstration on Oct 10 alone siphoned 2,000 crore, while the blockades from Oct 13 to 16 added another 1,000 crore, with retail suffering 1,800 crore and wholesale 600 crore. The traders’ complaint, filed with the Lieutenant Governor, Delhi Police Commissioner and MCD Commissioner, seeks to cancel or move the Congress rally slated for Nov 1 at Ramlila Maidan, which the party has secured a no‑objection certificate for. Ramlila Maidan sits beside Sadar Bazar, Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli and Chawri Bazar, where the days before Diwali are the most lucrative; a shopkeeper in Chandni Chowk said that delayed deliveries have already forced him to cancel orders. Delhi Police said it had issued the NOC after the Municipal Corporation confirmed the ground’s availability, and that Congress will submit the certificate to the civic body for final booking. Meanwhile, the CTI has demanded that all demonstrations in central Delhi be halted until Diwali to protect commerce. The dispute has already reached the Supreme Court, which declined to order a halt to protests at Connaught Place this week, and the traders plan to seek a hearing in the Delhi High Court next month to secure a relocation order.