NEW DELHI: With Diwali around the corner, the bustling lanes of Chandni Chowk, city’s iconic market, are once again teeming with shoppers, festive decor and relentless traffic. But amidst the usual chaos, one notable shift is drawing attention - the complete dominance of eco-friendly crackers.
Stalls across the area, particularly near Gate No. 2 of the Red Fort Metro station, are stacked with brightly labelled boxes reading “Pollution Free,” “Go Green,” and “Big Sound, Less Smoke.”
Crackers such as “Original Wonder Throw” and other green variants have replaced traditional firecrackers, which are now nowhere to be found. Shopkeepers say the transition comes in response to the Delhi government’s complete ban on the manufacture, sale and bursting of conventional crackers to combat worsening air pollution during the festival.
“The demand is still there for loud crackers like ‘sutli bomb’ and ‘sky shots’, but we’re only selling what’s allowed now,” said a trader near the Town Hall area, gesturing to shelves lined with eco-friendly boxes.
Buyers, however, remain confused about the new options. “Many customers are surprised when they don’t find the traditional items. They ask what makes these crackers ‘green’, but to them, it all looks the same,” said another vendor.
Pankaj, a young stall owner, shared, “Since there’s no alternative, people are buying these. Some even joke, ‘This time, crackers are just for kids.’”
Among the few available varieties are noise makers, paper shots, toffee shots and plastic gun crackers — a stark contrast to the high-decibel celebrations of earlier years. Despite the crackdown on pollution, the spirit of Diwali is alive in Chandni Chowk.
The narrow lanes are ablaze with decorative lights, colorful diyas, gift hampers and sweet shops doing brisk business.
The light market is witnessing a surge, as crowds jostle to buy LED string lights and lanterns. Meanwhile, traffic in the area has reached near-gridlock levels. Though vehicular restrictions are in place, cars and rickshaws continue to crowd the lanes. “It feels like pre-COVID times again — the crowd, the noise, everything is back,” said a local resident.