Politics, protests, and padlocked shops in Meerut’s Central Market

The crisis has affected the local economy beyond property owners. Daily wage workers and helpers face a total loss of income as the market stays shuttered. Pooja, a local resident whose husband works as a shop helper, stated, "We are not part of any violation, but we are suffering."

Despite the high stakes, the protest remained independent of political parties. When opposition leaders attempted to address the crowd, they were turned away by shop owners. Meenakshi Agarwal said, "We don’t want speeches; we want solutions." The traders’ body, led by vice president Tarun Gupta, remained focused on obtaining concrete relief rather than administrative hearings.

On the thirteenth day of the standoff, the women of Shastri Nagar organized a tehravi—the traditional Hindu rite marking the thirteenth day of mourning. They performed these last rites for what they termed the death of their self-respect, trust, and livelihood. Gathered around a ritual fire in the street, the imagery was stark. Rekha Sharma said, "Something inside us has died. Our trust in the system is gone." For Sunita Gupta, a shop owner, the enforcement of rules after twenty years remains central: "If this was illegal, why did the system allow it for 20 years? We built our lives here. Now, overnight, everything is wrong."

Based on these assurances, the government is exploring rehabilitation options to mitigate the economic impact, including potential provision of affordable alternative shops and introducing the concept of adjustment rather than displacement. Officials have been tasked with drafting separate documentation for partially compliant traders, recognising that the properties involve varying degrees of violations. There is also a mandate to clear confusion surrounding a 2025 policy that traders say was never properly communicated.

Arun Govil, Meerut MP, arrived at the protest site on Friday to address the families. While acknowledging the constraints of the court order, Govil assured the crowd that the government is seriously deliberating on a resolution.

In an affidavit to the Supreme Court, Parishad chairman P Guruprasad confirmed the sealing of 44 properties. The document included photographic evidence showing the status of each property before and after sealing to demonstrate compliance. Officials maintained that these are long-standing violations and that notices were issued well in advance.

Supreme Court directives issued on April 9, 2026; Uttar Pradesh Awas Evam Vikas Parishad moved to seal and demolish shops that have operated for decades on plots originally sanctioned for residential use, as part of reclaiming illegal setbacks and commercial constructions.