LUCKNOW, April 20 -- "Almost all my tools are gone. Now I have nothing left to work with," said Raju, an electrician, capturing the scale of disruption after a massive fire tore through the Vikas Nagar slum cluster in Lucknow, displacing over 1,000 residents and paralysing essential informal services across nearby localities. The gutted settlement housed electricians, motor mechanics, heavy machine operators, barbers, food vendors and small kiosk owners who served nearby residential colonies. With homes doubling as workplaces, the blaze destroyed both shelter and livelihoods in one stroke. Residents in areas like Vikas Nagar, Jankipuram and Kalyanpur say the impact is already visible. Routine services such as electrical repairs, bike servicing and small household fixes have become difficult to access. "Our regular mechanic hasn't come since the incident. Even small things like fixing a motor or wiring have become difficult," said a resident of Jankipuram. Motor mechanics operating from makeshift roadside setups in the cluster said they lost equipment worth thousands. "We repaired bikes and small machines for people from Kalyanpur and nearby areas. Now everything is burnt," said Imtiyaz, a mechanic. The disruption has extended to daily conveniences as well. Barbers, tea sellers and food kiosk operators have not been able to resume work, leaving a visible gap in the neighbourhood's routine. "There are no tea stalls or snack carts in the area anymore. We didn't realise how much we depended on them," said a resident of Vikas Nagar. Urban observers say such settlements often function as service hubs for middle-class neighbourhoods. A local social worker said the incident revealed how closely informal workers are linked to the city's everyday functioning. For the affected families, however, immediate survival remains the priority as many continue to live in temporary shelters. "First we need a roof. Work will come later," said a displaced labourer....