Red Fort blast in Delhi: A visual explanation
Security personnel, both from the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, are keeping a hawk’s eye around the perimeter and courtyard of the Mughal-era monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
India will host the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH Committee) at the Red Fort from December 8 to 13.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of the November 10, 2025 Red Fort blast, which killed 15 people and injured more than 20.
The 17th century fort complex falls under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and has been closed to general visitors since December 5 due to the event. An ASI official earlier said it will be closed till December 14.
Immediately next to the blast site, security barricades marked ‘Delhi Police’ have been set up in a labyrinthine manner.
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Improved controls at the gates of the Red Fort
A police personnel on duty points to a layer of soot that can still be seen on a street side near the gate of Lal Quila metro station, where security barricades have been set up.
“This is the same place where the blast took place in November and since this is a very big international event held in Delhi, security is very tight day and night,” the staff said. PTI.
Only the delegates and media personnel who have been accredited by UNESCO and the host country and given special badges can enter the Red Fort.
An armed Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) guards the entrance to the fort complex from the Delhi gate.
At the Red Fort, security personnel maintain constant surveillance as delegates and other guests travel in and out.
After dark, police officers patrol the streets along the edge of the fort complex, from the Lahori Gate to the Delhi Gate.
The opening ceremony of the event was held on December 7, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar present as the chief guest.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, UNESCO Director General Khaled El-Enany, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and India’s Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Vishal V. Sharma were present at the opening ceremony.
On Wednesday (December 10), India’s Deepavali, the festival of lights, was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
On Wednesday evening, a cultural program was organized for delegates and others on the lawns opposite the Diwan-i-Aam, followed by a gala dinner, under heightened security.
Abu Dhabi-based Walid Al Halani, a member of the UAE delegation at the session, said PTI“It is a pleasure to be in India for the first time, to learn more about this country and its people.” Traders at the Old Lajpat Rai Market still talk about the blast in hushed tones, trying to put the unpleasant past behind them.
“We have to move on, but the scars are there,” says a trader, who did not want to be named.
The Red Fort is a popular tourist attraction that attracts many visitors every day.
The complex was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the palace of his capital Shahjahanabad and is known for its massive fortified walls. Its construction was completed within ten years, between 1638 and 1648.
In 2023, the Red Fort also hosted the first India Art, Architecture and Design Biennale (IAADB).
Published – Dec 12, 2025 11:08 AM IST
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