NEW DELHI: The familiar rhythm of Chandni Chowk, once defined by curious tourists and the timeless view of the Red Fort, has drastically changed since Monday night’s deadly blast.
Tourist guides and vendors say the incident has shaken both business and confidence in one of Delhi’s most visited heritage zones. Tourist guides say they have lost half the visitors. The other half is more curious to hear of the deadly blast than that of the monument’s heritage. Iqbal, 25, who usually escorted at least ten groups a day, now spends most of his time explaining the explosion to the few tourists who still visit.
“Those who are coming now just want to know about the blast,” he said, guiding a group of foreign visitors only as far as the barricades. “For the last two days, this is all anyone asks about.” Sohail, a guide with nearly a decade of experience, echoed the sentiment. “Chandni Chowk is the heart of Delhi’s tourism but instead of talking about Shah Jahan’s dynasty, we are explaining what happened that night. We’ve lost more than half our tourists,” he said.
He also recalled the moment of the blast vividly. “I was having tea with friends when suddenly there was a loud explosion. My ears went numb. We couldn’t understand what had happened.” Rakesh Sharma, another guide, said the scene transformed within seconds. “I saw a flash, people screamed, and everyone ran. When I returned, the road was covered in smoke and damaged vehicles. Tourists keep asking if it’s safe.”
The impact has been equally harsh on street vendors. Devender, 50, who sold toys a few metres from the spot, said many of his goods were destroyed.
“People ran in all directions. My stall was hit by the blast and everything got scattered,” Devender said. A high-intensity explosion ripped through a slow-moving car near the Red Fort metro station on Monday, leaving 13 people dead.
