Delhi's Chandni Chowk Market Struggles to Recover One Week After Deadly Red Fort Blast

Chandni Chowk displays a deserted appearance even a week following the Red Fort explosion.

New Delhi:

One week after a powerful explosion shattered the peace in old Delhi's historic center near Red Fort, the typically bustling lanes of Chandni Chowk are gradually returning to life. However, both visible and invisible wounds remain.

What should have been the height of wedding season has transformed into one of the most difficult periods in recent history for merchants who depend on the daily influx of wedding shoppers.

"Our store has 1.2 million Instagram followers. During normal wedding seasons, we have no standing room, with brides queuing outside. Customers willingly sit on the floor if necessary—that's how crowded it typically gets. But now, it's completely empty," explained Javed Ahmed, a salesperson at Maharani Collection, one of Chandni Chowk's most renowned bridal fashion establishments.

NDTV observed rows of sparkling lehengas valued at thousands of rupees hanging untouched beneath crystal chandeliers, while mirrors that once reflected excited brides now reveal only vacant corridors.

This wasn't all. Ahmed showed NDTV a glass display case fractured in a spider-web pattern—shattered by the shockwave from an explosion that occurred just 200 meters away.

"The blast destroyed everything. Glass can be replaced. But customers... that's what we've truly lost," he remarked, walking toward a corner where hundreds of bridal dresses await fearful customers.

"These are all online orders. Customers placed them two weeks ago, selected fabrics via video calls, and paid deposits. Now they're canceling or requesting delivery to Gurgaon and Noida instead. They ask 'bhaiya, is it safe now?' We assure them 'yes, please come.' But they don't return."

"We're among the most popular shops... If this is our situation, imagine what smaller businesses are experiencing," he adds, gesturing toward the uneasy street outside, where some movement exists—a few auto-rickshaws navigate through sparse crowds—but Chandni Chowk's legendary crowds are noticeably absent.

"It feels good to see people again," Ahmed acknowledges, forcing a partial smile. "But this crowd? This isn't even 30 percent of what we should have during peak season. Some customers have shifted their entire wedding shopping to malls in Delhi-NCR. We're receiving cancellations every single day."

In the neighboring Old Lajpat Rai Market, known for jewelry and wedding accessories, the atmosphere is equally somber. Praveen Khandelwal, a Member of Parliament from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and President of the Confederation of All India Traders, informed NDTV, "The five-day security cordon and persistent fear have cost Chandni Chowk and surrounding markets nearly Rs 300 or Rs 400 crore in direct losses."

A rickshaw puller who was merely 50 meters from the blast and witnessed the chaos firsthand also told NDTV that life here hasn't returned to normal. "We don't see the roads as congested as before."

The November 10 explosion forced authorities to seal the stretch from Chandni Chowk Metro Station to Red Fort. For five full days, the area remained cordoned off; only residents were permitted entry.

The Chandni Chowk area was secured by police and intelligence agencies.

Shops technically remained 'open' but were inaccessible to customers. Only on the sixth day were barriers partially lifted and the market fully reopened to the public.

Some customers, however, are gradually returning. Priya Sharma, who arrived with her family to finalize wedding jewelry, admitted, "There's still some hesitation in our hearts, but we can't postpone the wedding. We trust the security forces now. That gives us confidence."

At Lajpat Rai Market, Suresh Prakash told NDTV he remains concerned about terrorists having transported such quantities of explosives throughout the city, bypassing all checkpoints.

"But we must trust our agencies and security forces regarding the investigation. Slowly and gradually people will return and businesses will recover from their losses..."

"But it's the injured and deceased who will forever carry the impact of this blast."

For now, security in and around Red Fort remains at high alert. Paramilitary forces in full combat equipment patrol the ramparts and roads leading to Jama Masjid. This display of strength has calmed some concerns; a family visiting Delhi from Gwalior expressed feeling completely safe.

The iconic Red Fort may have been the actual target of the car bomb, according to sources.

Posing for a selfie with his young son outside Red Fort, Rahul Kumar told NDTV, "We saw how the blast killed innocent people on the news. It broke our hearts. But our trip was planned months ago. And now that we're here, honestly, there's no fear. This is the national capital; it's bound to recover. I'm excited to shop in Chandni Chowk and show my son this iconic city."

Merchants believe it could take two to three more weeks—which would include an incident-free Christmas and New Year wedding season—before former levels of confidence fully return.

For now, the enhanced security presence around Red Fort serves as both reassurance and reminder that the shadow of November 10 still looms over one of India's most iconic marketplaces.