A view of Ramlila Maidan, designated as a protest site along with two new venues,. (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: Ramlila Maidan, newly designated as one of the capital’s three protest sites, is already booked for most of the next two-and-a-half months, leaving just three days available for reservations this year.Additionally, while a small section of the ground can be used for protests free of charge, booking the larger venue, which spans 12 acres and can accommodate up to 50,000 people, involves a daily fee and a refundable security deposit.Revealing that only December 29, 30 and 31 as the availiable dates, an official quoted by PTI said, “The booking rate for the ground is Rs 50,000 per day, plus a Rs 55,000 security deposit that is refundable. The initial outlay including taxes comes to Rs 1.21 lakh for a day’s booking.”However, officials clarified that a small portion of the ground, with space for around 150 people, remains available for protests and gatherings free of charge.Permission to use the larger ground must be obtained from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s horticulture department, which processes bookings after applicants secure a no-objection certificate from Delhi Police.The arrangement has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and protesters, who argue that the limited availability and high booking costs could make demonstrations difficult to organise.AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the decision, pointing to events already scheduled at the venue. Govt. played another fraud with its citizens. The Ramleela Maidan is occupied with two Ramleelas,” Bharadwaj wrote on X.“How can one hold a protest here? Do they want to create chaos?” he asked.Protesters also highlighted the financial burden, noting that demonstrations at Jantar Mantar did not require comparable payments.Civic officials, however, pointed to the revenue implications of allowing unrestricted use of the ground. “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, quoted by PTI.The ground is frequently reserved for public events and religious festivities, particularly around Dussehra and Diwali, contributing to the shortage of available dates.Apart from booking constraints, the venue presents traffic-management challenges. Located in a busy commercial area near three hospitals and municipal offices, Ramlila Maidan has witnessed major congestion during political rallies and other large gatherings.Officials said police often have to introduce one-way traffic restrictions on Asaf Ali Road and divert vehicles towards Jawaharlal Nehru Marg. A BJP rally in 2014 reportedly caused traffic jams extending nearly four kilometres to ITO, despite being held on a Sunday.

The venue has been central to Delhi’s political history for decades. Once a pond, the site was filled and levelled around 1930 to accommodate Ramlila performances, which began there in 1932. It subsequently hosted major political gatherings addressed by leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Jayaprakash Narayan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee.On June 25, 1975, the day the Emergency was declared, Jayaprakash Narayan and Vajpayee addressed a rally at the ground. Relatively recently, Arvind Kejriwal took oath as Delhi chief minister there in 2013.The controversy follows an standing order issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar, which removed Jantar Mantar from the list of designated protest venues and identified Ramlila Maidan, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi as the three new locations for demonstrations. Police said a detailed, revised standard operating procedure for protests at these sites would be issued separately.