Describing Connaught Place as a busy commercial hub comprising concentric circles linked by radial roads, with limited entry and exit points, the notice warned that a gathering in one circle could quickly obstruct the others, making crowd dispersal and emergency evacuation difficult.
The area houses a dense concentration of showrooms, restaurants, hotels, banks, offices and street vendors. Any disruption, particularly during evening and weekend hours and the peak festival season, would directly affect traders and their employees, it said.
“Over 15 lakh traders and their employees depend on its peaceful and orderly functioning for the exercise of their fundamental right,” the notice read.
The notice also highlighted the presence of Rajiv Chowk Metro station, a major interchange between the Blue and Yellow lines of the Delhi Metro and one of the network’s busiest stations, handling an average of two lakh commuters daily.
Any crowd build-up in the area could lead to severe congestion and create a stampede risk, it said.
Several arterial roads pass through Connaught Place and are crucial to movement across the city. Their obstruction could paralyse traffic across central Delhi and cost commuters valuable time, the notice added.
It also cited the judgment in *Amit Saini v. Commissioner of Police*, which requires authorities to consider the inconvenience caused to commuters by public gatherings.
Connaught Place’s proximity to Parliament, the Central Secretariat and diplomatic precincts raised further concerns about crowds spilling into protected zones, potentially jeopardising public order and safety, the notice said.
The notice also flagged the area’s older buildings and narrow service lanes, which restrict the movement of fire tenders and ambulances. With ambulances serving several nearby hospitals dependent on clear routes, an unregulated gathering could compromise emergency response services, it added.
“In view of these considerations, and the serious risk an unlawful gathering in Connaught Place poses to public order and to the rights of other citizens, a prohibitory order under Section 163, BNSS is currently in force,” the notice said.
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