# Delhi Ramlila Maidan Bookings Full With Heavy Costs And Only Three Days Left This Year

> Staging protests at Delhi's historic Ramlila Maidan has become expensive and difficult, with only three days left available for booking this year and hefty fees required for organizers.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Delhi · **Published:** 2026-10-13 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/delhi/delhi-ke-ramlila-maidan-mein-pradarshan-ab-pada-mehnga-saalbhar-mein-sirf-teen-din-khali-aur-bhari-bharkam-kharch-47213 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Ramlila Maidan, Delhi news, MCD, Protests, Jantar Mantar, Delhi Police

Organizing a protest at the Ramlila Maidan, which is one of the three designated new locations for demonstrations in Delhi, can prove to be an expensive and distant prospect as the venue remains unavailable for the next two and a half months. Following that period, applicants may have to shell out more than one lakh rupees for booking. Spanning across 12 acres and capable of holding 50,000 people, officials stated that the ground can currently be booked for only December 29, 30, and 31 for the rest of this year.

 An official explained that the booking rate for the ground stands at 50,000 rupees per day, alongside a security deposit of 55,000 rupees which is refundable later. Inclusive of taxes, the starting cost for a single day of booking amounts to 1.21 lakh rupees.

 

## A Small Portion of the Ground is Free for Protests
 Civic body officials clarified that a small section of the ground is available free of cost for protests and gatherings, but it can accommodate only up to 150 people. The ground is booked through the horticulture department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which grants approval for the same. Securing a No Objection Certificate from the Delhi Police is mandatory before the civic body clears any application.

 Under a standing order issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar on October 11, protests will no longer be allowed at Jantar Mantar. Instead, Ramlila Maidan, Burari ground, and the Central Business District ground located in east Delhi have been designated as the new venues for holding demonstrations.

 

## No Fees Were Charged at Jantar Mantar
 According to protesters, organizations or resident groups have to pay a very high admission fee to stage demonstrations at Ramlila Maidan, whereas no such charges were levied at Jantar Mantar. An official noted that if protests were allowed there without any fees, the civic body would suffer a daily loss of at least 50,000 rupees or even more. MCD officials also pointed out that with major festivals like Dussehra and Diwali approaching in the coming weeks, Ramlila Maidan has already been booked for various events and celebrations.

 According to officials, the ground is situated in a busy commercial area, surrounded by three hospitals and headquarters of civic bodies. During the British colonial era, it extended beyond Ajmere Gate, and the present-day Kamla Market used to be a part of this very area.

 

## The Ground Used to Be a Pond Prior to 1930
 Officials stated that until 1930, the ground was actually a pond that was subsequently filled and leveled to facilitate the staging of Ramlila performances. This tradition began in 1932 and continues to this day, giving the ground its familiar name. Following independence in 1951, the area was developed to provide livelihoods for refugees arriving from Pakistan.

 

## Ramlila Maidan Became a Stage for the Country's Political History
 Over its journey spanning decades, the ground transformed into a prominent platform for the political history of the nation. In 1952, Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee launched his satyagraha from here, demanding the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir into India. Serving as Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru addressed massive public meetings at Ramlila Maidan in 1956 and 1957.

 

## Major Movements and Rallies Held at the Ground
 A permanent stage was constructed at the venue in 1962 for a public event organized in honor of Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to India. Following the victory against Pakistan in the 1971 war, Indira Gandhi addressed a rally there, and on November 26, 1974, a public meeting was held to honor then Soviet Union leader Leonid Brezhnev. A few years later, on June 25, 1975, the day the Emergency was declared, Jayaprakash Narayan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee addressed a rally at the same ground. The prominent Anna movement also took place at this very venue, and Arvind Kejriwal took oath as Chief Minister at this location in 2013.

## What this means for you
The implementation of high booking fees and new venue restrictions at Ramlila Maidan creates a significant financial and logistical barrier for political groups, organizations, and citizens staging protests in Delhi.

- **Across India:** Groups raising voice on national issues in the national capital will now have to navigate new venues or incur steep costs, raising the overall financial barrier for democratic assemblies.

- **In Delhi:** Local organizations and residents must now rely on Ramlila Maidan, Burari, or CBD grounds following the ban at Jantar Mantar, with single-day bookings at Ramlila Maidan reaching an initial cost of 1.21 lakh rupees inclusive of taxes.

- **Approval Process:** Organizers are now strictly required to obtain clearance and a No Objection Certificate from both the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Delhi Police before holding any gathering.

- **Free Limit:** Only a very small section inside the sprawling Ramlila Maidan is made available free of cost for protests, which can only accommodate a maximum capacity of 150 people at a time.

- **Venue Shift:** Following the Delhi Police commissioner's standing order prohibiting demonstrations at Jantar Mantar, the entire landscape for protests across the city has officially shifted.

## Why this happened
The booking shortage and stringent rules at Ramlila Maidan are driven by upcoming festive seasons, commercial surroundings, and recent administrative orders aimed at regulating public spaces in the capital.

- **Festive Rush:** Ramlila Maidan has already been heavily booked for various celebratory events and traditional functions due to the upcoming major festivals like Dussehra and Diwali in the coming weeks.

- **Administrative Orders:** A standing order issued by Delhi Police Commissioner Anurag Kumar on October 11 banned protests at Jantar Mantar, placing heavy new demand on designated alternate venues like Ramlila Maidan.

- **Revenue Protection:** The civic body noted that offering the venue without any booking fees would result in a direct daily loss of at least 50,000 rupees in municipal revenue.

- **Commercial Location:** The ground is situated in a busy commercial district surrounded by three hospitals and civic headquarters, restricting continuous unfiltered public access for large gatherings.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. What are the new designated locations for protests in Delhi?
Following the police order, Ramlila Maidan, Burari ground, and the Central Business District ground in east Delhi have been designated as the new venues for protests.

### 2. Which dates are currently available for booking at Ramlila Maidan this year?
According to officials, Ramlila Maidan is currently available for booking only on December 29, 30, and 31 for the remainder of this year.

### 3. What is the total cost for booking Ramlila Maidan for a single day?
The booking rate is 50,000 rupees per day along with a 55,000 rupees security deposit, bringing the starting cost to 1.21 lakh rupees inclusive of taxes.

### 4. Is there any free space available for protests at Ramlila Maidan?
Yes, a small portion of the ground is available free of cost for protests, though it can only accommodate up to 150 people at a time.

### 5. Are protests still permitted at Jantar Mantar?
No, protests will no longer be allowed at Jantar Mantar following the Delhi Police commissioner's order issued on October 11.

### 6. Who grants approval for bookings at Ramlila Maidan?
The horticulture department of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi processes and approves bookings, requiring a No Objection Certificate from the Delhi Police.

### 7. What did the Ramlila Maidan area historically use to be?
Until 1930, the ground used to be a pond that was subsequently filled and leveled for public gatherings.

### 8. When did Ramlila performances begin at this ground?
The tradition of staging Ramlila performances at this ground began in 1932 and continues to this day.

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