Red Fort blast: Day on, terror-stricken locals struggle to cope with reality

A day after explosion near the Red Fort on Netaji Subhash Road killed 13 persons and injured over 20 others, the area resembled a fortress on Tuesday morning, with the monument and major markets around it closed for combing and security operations.

The Red Fort has been closed for public till November 13 to facilitate an ongoing police probe into the deadly Monday attack, said the Archaeological Survey of India.

The site of the blast was covered in white cloth today as security forces maintained vigil and strict cordons all around.

The Chandni Chowk market was shut as locals grasped the gravity of the situation and picked up pieces of shattered lives after the tragedy.

The Chandni Chowk Traders’ Association announced a complete shutdown citing fear and anxiety among traders. Association chief Sanjay Bhargav said the sound of the explosion was still ringing aloud in his ears. “My shop is a few metres from the blast site,” he said.

The explosion was so powerful that several vehicles parked nearby were reduced to mangled metal and the sound was heard several kilometres away. The bustling streets around the Red Fort — marked by heavy tourist and shoppers’ footfall — wore an eerily deserted look, with no access allowed to locals and shopkeepers. Heavy barricading from Jama Masjid side of Delhi Metro’s violet line towards the Red Fort was observed.

As a precautionary measure, Old Lajpat Rai Market and New Lajpat Rai Market in front of the Red Fort were shut down. The medical drug market in Bhagirath Palace was also closed, with a medicine shop owner killed in the Monday blast.

But markets from Gauri Shankar Temple to Fatehpuri were open, though the lean shopper presence told a clear story of anguish and despair.

“Fear of this blast will always loom in our minds. It’s the darkest day we ever encountered and pray such things never happen again,” said Swatantra Singh, a shopkeeper, who was standing a few kilometres from his closed shop in the market.

For hawkers and street food vendors, the police barricading spelt a pause on earnings.

“We don’t know for how many days the road and market will remain closed. The blast has also affected our earnings as we can’t put our cart in the area, which was a lone source of earning bread for the family,” said Shyam Singh, a street hawker.

Eateries in and around Jama Masjid were also affected as the footfall fell significantly.

Following the blast, Delhi traffic police on Tuesday announced restrictions on both carriageways and service roads of Netaji Subhash Marg, between Chatta Rail Cut and Subhash Marg Cut.

The restrictions took effect from 6 am until further orders. No vehicles will be allowed to ply on the affected stretch of Netaji Subhash Marg in either direction for the duration of the closure, the traffic advisory added.

The Jain temple near the blast site, a major local and tourist attraction, was also closed. A police party and a special military unit of the Rapid Action Force guarded the temple vicinity as the probe remained underway.

An eyewitness at the temple recalled seeing human remains being flung into the premises due to the impact of the blast. He said the impact was so intense that the glass windows of the temple’s office were shattered into small pieces.

Restrictions in place

The Red Fort will remain closed for public till November 13 to facilitate an ongoing police probe into the deadly Monday attack, said the Archaeological Survey of India

Lal Quila Metro Station will stay close on November 12, according to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC)

Old Lajpat Rai Market and New Lajpat Rai Market will remain close till further orders

Traffic restrictions on Netaji Subhash Marg, between Chatta Rail Cut and Subhash Marg Cut will remain close till further orders