Festive rush, limited window mark opening day of firecracker sales across Gurugram

While the approval brought a much-needed business boost, the limited timeframe led to a scramble to meet soaring demand.

The sale and bursting of firecrackers officially began on October 18 in line with Supreme Court orders permitting it until October 21. On the first day, firecracker markets in areas such as Gadoli and Farrukhnagar witnessed a festive rush, with large crowds flocking to purchase “green firecrackers”.

Huge crowds were seen at markets for shopping ahead of Diwali. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

With just a three-day window for sales mandated by the Supreme Court, traders and manufacturers expressed both relief and pressure. While the approval brought a much-needed business boost, the limited timeframe led to a scramble to meet soaring demand.

“There are nearly five crore buyers across Delhi-NCR, but only 432 licensed shops,” said Anil Nagpal, a firecracker dealer in Gadoli. “The three-day rule has created a mismatch between demand and supply, making it difficult to cater to everyone,” he added.

A firecracker godown owner in Farrukhnagar, requesting anonymity, said the rush was overwhelming from the start. “Some shoppers even showed up at midnight to buy firecrackers,” he said. “There wasn’t a single moment to spare once we opened—calls kept coming in non-stop, and people just kept pouring in throughout the day.”

He added that despite the limited sale period, the Supreme Court’s order had prevented significant losses. “We had placed orders with manufacturers well in advance, and the Supreme Court’s approval to sell during this limited period is a relief. Without it, we would have faced huge losses, affecting not just us but also the many labourers who depend on this industry,” Nagpal said.

A firecracker manufacturer, also speaking anonymously, said it typically takes at least one month to prepare crackers for retail. “Production officially began only after the Supreme Court’s order, but several manufacturers had already started producing earlier, allowing unlicensed sellers to stock the market with illegal, traditional crackers,” he said.

Across areas such as Sector 56’s HUDA Market, Sector 46 Market, Sector 14, Badshahpur, and Farrukhnagar, small vendors were seen discreetly selling conventional firecrackers, operating quietly to avoid detection. Many hid their stock under makeshift tables or stored it in sacks, selling only to regular customers or those specifically asking for them.

To be sure, genuine green crackers must have a QR code on the packaging issued by CSIR-NEERI, which can be scanned to verify authenticity. They are also labelled “Green Crackers” or marked with logos such as SWAS, SAFAL, or STAR—indicating they meet reduced emission and noise standards.

However, many buyers remain unaware of how to distinguish genuine green crackers from banned conventional ones. “I don’t know how to check whether a cracker is green or not. Green or not, I just want the ones that are colourful and make noise. I asked the shopkeeper, and he said they’re safe, so I bought them,” said Mayuri Sharma, a resident of Sector 46.

The lack of awareness, coupled with weak enforcement, has raised concerns among officials. Kuldeep, assistant commissioner of police, New Colony, said enforcement teams have been instructed to conduct regular raids and impose penalties on violators. “We are keeping a close watch on markets and godowns selling firecrackers to ensure that only NEERI-certified green crackers are sold. Legal action will be taken against those selling banned items,” the ACP said.