Delhi Blast Halts Business at 1,500 Shops, Cash and Essential Goods Locked Inside

Four days have passed since the blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, yet the area remains eerily silent. The Old Lajpat Rai Market, located right opposite the historic Red Fort and usually bustling with thousands of shoppers daily, continues to remain shut. Most shops, except for a few small roadside stalls, have their shutters down and locks in place, according to local traders.

While the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk are slowly regaining their usual vibrancy, with crowds at clothing and food outlets and traffic picking up on the streets, the situation at Old Lajpat Rai Market paints a contrasting picture. The market remains closed due to the shutdown of the Red Fort metro station and the main road leading to the monument. Traders have reported that cash, laptops, lunch boxes, and other essential goods remain locked inside their shops.

“We never imagined the shops would remain closed for this long,” said Sanjay Nagpal, President of the Central Radio and Electronics Merchants Association. He added that the market has around 1,500 shops, all of which have been closed for five days, severely affecting business. However, he emphasized that no shop will reopen until authorities give the official go-ahead.

Heightened Security in Chandni Chowk
Security arrangements across Chandni Chowk have been significantly tightened. Police patrols, sirens, and mobile units are now a common sight. Although the number of shoppers is slowly increasing, many markets remain closed, and business, employees, and laborers are seen wandering the empty streets. Only a few small roadside stalls have reopened, while the majority of shops remain locked.