Delhi gets new protest sites, but Jantar Mantar had one key advantage: Its location

New Delhi's Jantar Mantar – known for being the protest site at the heart of the national capital, will no longer be known a protest site as Delhi Police on Oct 12 de-notified it and named three other new sites for protest. While several leaders and public figures are backing Delhi Police's decision, activists and opposition leaders are questioning the move. Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi has backed the decision saying the location was ill-suited for demonstrations because of its narrow lanes and proximity to sensitive buildings and offices. Similarly, Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has criticised the government. If analysed closely, Bedi's remark about the protest site being closer to sensitive buildings and offices can be a crucial reason for the decision – specially at the current time when the ruling BJP is facing several protests over women's safety, irregularities and lack of accountability.

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Jantar Mantar close to power bloc

The power bloc of the country – the Parliament – the place from where India's legislative and executive administration runs – is located less than 1.5 to 2 kilometers away from Jantar Mantar. Jantar Mantar Road is positioned directly adjacent to Parliament Street in Lutyens’ Delhi. It is situated within a stone's throw from Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and the Ministry of Finance. The area is surrounded by the official bungalows of Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, and senior bureaucrats, ensuring that the sound of dissent reached their doorsteps. The Parliament House is 4.2 km, the Prime Minister's office (PMO) and Ministry of Home Affairs are 3.8 km, the Ministry of Defence is 3.7, and Ministry of External Affairs is 3.4 km. This means, Jantar Mantar protest site is at middle of India's major corridor. The vicinity from the power bloc makes it iconic and highlights the protests taking place at the location. For example: the CJP protest that took place earlier this year disrupted the lifeline around Central Delhi surrounding the Parliament. Moving protests to the three newly designated locations—Ramlila Maidan (~4 km away), CBD Ground (~12-13 km away), and Burari Ground (~20 km away)—pushes public assembly into the geographic outskirts of the city.

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Size of Jantar Mantar vs new sites

The shift from Jantar Mantar to Delhi’s newly designated protest grounds also marks a significant change in the scale and visibility of demonstrations. Unlike Jantar Mantar, a narrow stretch of road with an estimated capacity of 1,000 to 3,000 people, the replacement venues offer much larger spaces. Ramlila Maidan, spread across approximately 12 acres, can accommodate an estimated 50,000 people; the 12-acre CBD Ground in Shahdara has an estimated capacity of 15,000 to 20,000, while the 50-acre Burari Ground can hold around 80,000 to 100,000 people. While the larger grounds can accommodate bigger gatherings, their distance from Parliament and central government offices raises questions about protesters’ visibility and proximity to decision-makers. Moreover, a comparatively smaller protest at Jantar Mantar looks massive whereas a larger one would also look small at the other venues.