Weeks after Red Fort blast, sales in Chandni Chowk remain sluggish

A nightmare for business and daily-wage labourers

The deadly blast near the Red Fort in New Delhi on November 10 has left a vacuum in the markets near-by, posing difficulties for shopkeepers and daily-wage earners who wait for normalcy to return.

Markets in Old Delhi and more specifically in areas near Jama Masjid and Red Fort have long been the nerve centres of retail business in the national capital, attracting tens of thousands of buyers of a variety of goods, from garments and spices to jewellery and electronics. The buyers, here, hail not only from the city itself, but literally across the country and even overseas, who often buy in bulk.

And winter, especially the period just after Diwali, is amongst the busiest seasons here, thanks to countless weddings that take place across the country every day.

However, over the past few days, these markets have been wearing a deserted look that began on a typically busy Monday evening, as people wrapped up their workday and streamed towards the metro a powerful blast took place near the Red Fort metro station. The explosion, which claimed the lives of more than 15 people and left over 20 others injured, sent shockwaves across the country.

In the days that followed, the immediate grief of families who lost loved ones was accompanied by an atmosphere of fear that surrounded the densely packed markets encircling the historic Red Fort. Neighbourhoods known for their constant movement, including Chandni Chowk, Sadar Bazaar, Meena Bazaar, and Khari Baoli, experienced a sudden and dramatic decline in footfall. For an area where commerce thrives on crowds, the vacuum left behind was unmistakable.

Shopkeepers, daily-wage earners, artisans, boutique owners, jewellers and other retailers are among the worst affected. Many of them, dependent on consistent customer traffic for basic survival within days of the incident saw their earnings slashed to a fraction. According to traders across segments, business had dropped sharply as potential customers stayed away, with some choosing to shift to online shopping platforms rather than visiting the area.

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Afsali, a rickshaw driver and the sole earning member of her household, is among those struggling with the loss in finances.

“I have been working here for nearly five to six years now. After the blast, the number of people coming here has reduced a lot. I used to earn almost INR 1,500 per day before the blast, and now my earnings have come down to almost INR 600–800 per day. There is definitely hope that things will get better, but for now, everything is uncertain,” Afsali tells Media India Group, sitting in her vacant rickshaw as she scans all around to look for a potential customer.

Vendors working closer to the blast site have similar stories to tell.

Manish Tiwari, a florist stationed near the Red Fort entrance, says the crowds have thinned dramatically.

“The blast left a lot of businesses in losses. The people who come here are usually only from Chandni Chowk now, so the crowd has decreased drastically. I hope it gets better soon,” Tiwari tells Media India Group.

Typically, the area also sees a lot of daily-wage worker gather here every morning with a hope of securing enough work to have at least one meal a day. However, with shops opening later, closing earlier, or in some cases not functioning at all, work options have become limited.

Business owners in Chandni Chowk, a market known for jewellery, clothes, and wholesale trade, have reported similar difficulties.

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Among them is Rachit Gupta, founder of Diva Art Jewellers. His store, like many others in the area, typically sees a surge of customers after Diwali, as wedding season boosts demand. This year, however, the blast has halted momentum.

“The aftermath of the blast has been tragic. We have incurred big losses. Before the blast and after Diwali, our sales have fallen down drastically. Orders are not being cancelled but are being delayed. Customers are scared of being in Chandni Chowk and are shifting to the online mode. This might remain the situation for a while, but not having customers around makes business really dull. There is still hope in us that we will get back to normal,” Gupta told the Media India Group.

Restaurants, too, have been hit hard. Raju Sharma, who owns an eatery in the market, claimed that that he observed an unusually quiet scene during the days following the blast.

“In the initial six days after the blast, the business suffered a loss of over INR 200,000. It was very unusual to see the restaurant so empty in such a big market, but things are getting better. People have started to pour in again,” Sharma tells Media India Group.

Despite scattered signs of gradual recovery, the financial impact remains significant. Reduced footfall in hustling markets such as Chandni Chowk not just affects one business but the entire economic system, from rickshaw drivers to jewellery shop owners.

As shops reopen each morning and traders wait for the familiar hum of crowds to resume, the community continues to navigate the delicate balance between economic survival and the lingering fear left behind by the explosion.