India, Oct. 20 -- Sarojini Nagar Market is overflowing with shoppers this Diwali season. However, the immense crowds are a daily occurrence, not just a festival phenomenon. While the specific purchases, from sequined kurtis to imitation jewellery, might change, the thick press of people and the air loud with bargaining remain constant. Beneath the festive buzz and the lure of cheap deals, a serious problem is escalating: unchecked chaos and encroachment by street hawkers, creating significant safety and security concerns in Delhi's most popular fashion bazaar.

By early afternoon, the market's central lane is nearly impassable. Mostly young women, college students, and office-goers crowd around the rows of stalls offering tops and "brande...