Fact check: Delhi's Sarojini Market is open! Not being demolished as per viral Insta reel that has left shoppers anxious

Hindustan Times

21-05-2025

Delhi's iconic Sarojini Nagar market has been a shopping haven for bargain hunters of all age groups. It often trends on social media for varying reasons, but ever since it witnessed a demolition drive over the weekend, some viral reels on Insta are claiming that the market has been demolished. A social media user commented on one such Reel: 'No way Sarojini Market is being demolished. Where will I shop for my college wardrobe at such great prices now?' Another has written: 'Sarojini is the soul of Delhi's shopping world. I hope we aren't losing it in all this ruckus.'
But, this worry must be put to rest because what's being projected in these reels is not completely true!
The social media posts have caused a wave of anxiety among the regular shoppers and fans of this market, but the true story is that though there was a sudden demolition drive – reportedly conducted on Saturday midnight by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) – the market is very much open, functional and not going to be moved anywhere! 'The market is open and welcoming shoppers as always. Please don't believe in the baseless rumours. This market has been the pride of Delhi for years and we're not going anywhere,' says Ashok Kalra, president, Sarojini Market Shopkeepers Association, adding, 'Unfortunately, the viral videos have caused us negative publicity and the footfall in the market has dropped.'
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Having seen the viral videos of bulldozers tearing through sections of the market, another shopkeeper quashes claims of the end of an era for one of the city's most beloved shopping destinations. 'What actually happened is that like any other day, we brought down the shutters of our shops on Saturday night and went home. Just a couple of hours later, humein bahut sare calls aane shuru ho gaye ki market mein kareeb 100 NDMC officials bulldozers leke aa gaye hain aur shops tod rahe hain,' recalls Ashok Randhawa, president, Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Traders Association, adding, 'It's true that before all this happened, we were the ones who had been urging the authorities to deal with illegal hawkers; who have encroached quite a lot of space in the market that becomes inconvenient for shoppers. But, instead of checking about the nuisance that these create, the authorities targeted the licensed shops during the Saturday's demolition drive. Phir bhi humein itna nuksan unke dukane todne se nahi hua jitna ab customers ke naa aane se ho raha hai.'
Amid the shopkeepers' woes of low footfall, the Sarojini Market Shopkeepers Association issued a clarification and posted on X stating that the market is fully operational and not being shut down.
Meanwhile, when HT City reached out to New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), an official said: 'If established shops are extended beyond the allocated area and into pedestrian space then that is also encroachment. Our intention is only to enmake that the shoppers' access to the market is smooth.'