NEW DELHI: For decades, Jantar Mantar offered protesters a place within earshot of Parliament and the seat of govt they sought to hold accountable. Now they will have to make themselves heard from further away. Ramlila Maidan in central Delhi, Burari ground in the north and CBD ground in Shahdara have been designated as the city's new protest sites, replacing Jantar Mantar Road. An order issued by police commissioner Anurag Kumar on Oct 11 said the decision followed recommendations by a ministry of home affairs committee set up to identify suitable venues where citizens could exercise their right to protest. The order said: "On the committee recommendations, Jantar Mantar as a protest venue has been de-notified". While the protest site is called Jantar Mantar, the protests never took place inside the 18th-century, ASI-protected astronomical observatory. They were held on the adjoining Jantar Mantar Road, the starting point of many historic movements. On the face of it, the road is hardly an ideal protest venue. Hemmed in by bungalows and shops, it offers limited space. But crowds find room, spilling into lanes and roads, as was seen during June-July CJP protests and the 2011 India Against Corruption movement.Shifting protests to Burari will reduce chances of traffic congestion: Police But its location more than makes up for the lack of space. Around 3km from Parliament and barely a kilometre from Connaught Place, it sits amid key govt buildings. It also offers the practical comforts a protest site needs: water, inexpensive food, toilets and tree shade. But its biggest advantage, however, may be that it comes free. The alternatives come with a price. Booking Ramlila Maidan for functions costs Rs 66,080, while Burari and CBD grounds cost approximately Rs 90,000 each (without security deposit). No separate booking category for protests has been introduced yet. Jantar Mantar’s denotification as a protest site came after Supreme Court, on Oct 9, asked authorities to designate a suitable alternative venue for protests. During the hearing, the CJI-led bench said, “The govt and parties are agreeable to the suggestion that it is high time to identify and designate a proper protest site, instead of Jantar Mantar, with basic amenities like water, toilets and healthcare facilities. The competent authorities would consider the suggestion and take an appropriate decision in this regard.” An officer said at Jantar Mantar, a crowd beyond 1,000 leads to crowding and traffic congestion on approach roads. Another officer said the presence of sensitive installations in the vicinity was also a security concern. “If someone disguises themselves as a protester and then moves towards a sensitive installation, it could pose a security threat,” the officer said. Ramlila Maidan can accommodate a crowd of up to 50,000, while Burari ground, which is the largest of the three sites, can hold more than 50,000 people. CBD Ground in Shahdara is across 12 acres. A senior police officer said Ramlila Maidan can host protests and large gatherings. Organisers must apply 10-12 days in advance, after which police coordinate with them on turnout, venue requirements, timings, VIP attendance and the agenda. In 2011, the Anna Hazare-led India Against Corruption movement, which later gave rise to AAP, shifted from Jantar Mantar to Ramlila Maidan as crowds swelled. The proposed shift from Jantar Mantar also raises questions about managing exceptionally large gatherings. One of the organisers of Ramlila events claimed that the turnout at some programmes could exceed 50,000, potentially putting pressure on the arrangements at the designated venues.
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Police sources said the area of the site at Shahdara will be finalised before infrastructure is set up. With malls, banquet halls and other commercial facilities nearby, clearly demarcating the venue and managing traffic will be key, they said. Once the site is finalised, police infrastructure, including a police post, would be made, the sources added. Burari Ground is an open space. Police sources said the likelihood of such gatherings significantly affecting traffic was relatively low here.
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