New Delhi

Shopkeepers at Lajpat Rai Market, which reopened on Saturday after remaining shut since the blast near the Red Fort earlier this week, said it may take several days for business and footfall to return to normal.

Most shops had their shutters down after the explosion near the Red Fort on Monday, which killed 13 people and triggered heavy security restrictions in the area.

Rakesh Kumar, who runs an electronics shop in the market, said he had reached the spot barely minutes before the incident.

"I came here only two years ago, and that evening I was standing outside when three blasts happened. The first one sounded like a normal CNG cylinder burst, the kind we hear sometimes. But the second was so loud that it felt like the ground had split," he said.

He recalled seeing a fireball after the third blast. "It looked like the sun had suddenly risen outside. It must have been around 6.50 pm. At that moment, nearly a thousand people were inside the market," he said.

Kumar said the first reaction among the people nearby was one of pure confusion.

"Somebody said a vehicle had caught fire, so people didn't panic instantly. But then the police quickly blocked the route and asked everyone to move. If they had not managed the crowd, there could have been a stampede with so many people around," he said.

According to him, the first ambulance arrived within 15 minutes of the explosion. "Police were already present in small numbers, but they handled the situation well," he added.

For many traders, the reopening of the market has brought a mix of relief and uncertainty.

"It will take time for things to become normal," said Rajinder Singh, who owns a lighting shop, adding that tourists won't come until the fear settles, and that even customers from Delhi are hesitant.

Several shopkeepers said orders placed for the wedding season were either cancelled or postponed.

"People are scared. Some clients shifted their functions to January or February. There is business loss, but more than that, there is nervousness among traders," Singh said.

With markets around the Red Fort slowly reopening, traders said they were hopeful that normal footfall would return once security agencies complete their investigation and the heat of the incident subsides.

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"We just want things to calm down. The market is open today, but the fear will take time to go away," Kumar added.