Residents grapple with trauma, unsure of returning

New Delhi: Sunday’s blaze may have providentially spared their flats in the same building, but left them traumatised, so much so that many of them are unsure of returning home.

Punit Kumar Jain, whose first-floor flat is intact, broke down in front of TOI on Monday. “Naveen (Jain) ran up to our door and rang our bell, after which all of us rushed out. Had he not done that despite having suffered burn injuries, we would have lost our lives,” he said.

As the 68-year-old teared up looking at the charred walls of the building, his wife, Rani Jain, tried to console him, “At least we managed to make it out alive. Shukr maante hai ki jaan bach gayi.”

Punit’s family of six, including an eight-year-old, is staying with relatives in Shiv Vihar for now. Uncertainty looms over their next steps. “We are not sure if we want to return,” he said.

The sexagenarian was seen waiting on the ground floor, where a heap of salvaged belongings of the residents lay scattered — mattresses, bags and sacks stuffed with clothes. Rani, meanwhile, had made her way upstairs with her daughter-in-law, both using torches to navigate the dark interiors.

For several families whose flats have been partially damaged, the immediate challenge is to rebuild. One of them, whose walls have turned black with soot, said he is trying to decide his next steps before returning, though he hopes to move back soon.

Throughout Monday, families shuffled in and out of the building, taking turns to retrieve whatever they could. Punit and a relative were seen carrying tiffin boxes and other essentials to their temporary shelter in Shiv Vihar.

Like him, most of the residents of the building have taken refuge with relatives for now. “But how long can one live like this?” asked Kamal Goyal, a 50-year-old businessman, who has put up in Krishna Nagar. “We want to return, but we first need to understand how the building will be rebuilt.”

Yet, beyond the physical damage, some were heard discussing whether they will be able to handle the emotional toll of returning. One of them said the images of the victims will continue haunting him, making it difficult for him to stay in the building. “I don’t feel I can move back,” he said.
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