Delhi: Ban crackers, not cars, say traders

New Delhi : "Ban crackers, not cars", say traders at Connaught Place, who are objecting to the closure of parking lots and some roads in the area for Delhi government's four-day laser show starting from Saturday.

The traders have put up posters across the Connaught Place, in the heart of Central Delhi, saying "CP is a commercial centre not mela ground" and "Ban crackers, not cars".

The New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA) has also written a letter to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, seeking his intervention into the matter.

"It is a good idea to encourage people to celebrate Diwali without crackers and we are not against holding the event but why affect business of traders? Why close roads?" said Atul Bhargava, president, NDTA. "We have written to LG Baijal today and we will also be writing to Delhi Police Commissioner about the same.

Our attempts to have discussions with NDMC did not yield results and we have not got any response to our petitions sent to Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia," he added. The Delhi government will organise the laser show from 26 October to encourage people not to burst crackers on Diwali, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said on Monday.

From 6 to 10 PM, the inner circle will be made vehicle free and parking lots will be used for food stalls. "We are the stakeholders, no consultation has happened with us before taking a decision," Bharagava said. The traders of the Central Delhi market had also opposed the trial run by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to pedestrianise Connaught Place.