Lucknow: Under a harsh Friday sun and the lingering stench of smoke, survivors of the Vikas Nagar fire bent over charred remains rebuilding their shattered lives — one bamboo pole, one torn tarpaulin, one salvaged cloth at a time. Sarees now serve as roofs, plastic sheets as walls, and broken sticks hold together fragile shelters — and fragile hopes.Relief has begun to trickle in, offering some respite. Plastic sheets and tarpaulins are being distributed, but supplies fall short of the need. While some clutch the thin covers as lifelines, others spend their last remaining rupees to buy whatever they can, unwilling to spend another night under the open sky.Among them is 14-year-old Md Sohail, a class 7 madrassa student who had returned from Balaganj for holidays. Instead of books, he now carries bamboo and rope, helping rebuild his home alongside his mother, Parveen — a widow and domestic worker. “My children are all I have. Today, they are helping me rebuild everything we lost,” she says.Nearby, 48-year-old Mahesh works with his wife Poonam to erect a temporary shelter. His bicycle — his only means of livelihood — lies burnt. “First, we need a roof,” he says. “Work can wait.”Akshat (17) and his sister Nandani dig into hardened ground after spending a sleepless night outdoors. “We just want a roof over our heads,” he says.Amid ashes and loss, resilience endures.
