Jaipur: Traders in Walled City are struggling to rebuild their businesses ahead of Diwali after a Sept 17 fire gutted 18 shops in Manihari Bazaar, destroying goods worth Rs 65-70 lakh. Only one affected shop has reopened, while the others remain shut for repairs, leaving traders scrambling to arrange fresh stock, meet outstanding payments and seek govt assistance.Kamal Agrawal, whose shop is the only one to have reopened, said a consignment that was in transit helped him resume limited operations. “Diwali is one of the most important periods for our business, but instead of preparing for the festive rush, we are trying to recover from the fire losses. Reopening is a relief, but making up for the losses will not be easy,” he said.Rakesh Gupta, another affected trader, said arranging money for fresh stock, repairs and pending payments had become difficult. “With shops remaining shut during the festive season, our losses have increased. Financial assistance from the govt is crucial at this stage,” he said.Rajesh Jain, whose six shops were damaged, said restarting operations would cost lakhs of rupees. “Elected representatives assured us of help, but we are still waiting for concrete relief. There should be a permanent support system for traders affected by such disasters,” he said.Traders estimate repairs, including furniture, painting and electrical work, will cost another Rs 10 lakh. A shortage of workers during the festive season and municipal charges for debris removal have added to their burden.The collectorate has prepared a panchnama documenting the losses. Traders have sought assistance under MSME schemes, support for insurance claims and relief linked to banks’ cash credit limits. They have also urged the govt to create a separate budgetary provision for businesses affected by fires and other disasters.Of the 18 shops, three belonged to Agrawal, six to Jain, and one each to Gupta and Satnam Singh Madan. Shops owned by Pursottam Sharma and Vikas Sharma were also affected.Meanwhile, Jaipur Municipal Corporation has restored the fire safety system at Purohit Ji Ka Katla after six years. For Manihari Bazaar traders, however, Diwali remains overshadowed by the struggle to restart business.
