MUMBAI, May 14 -- They have been meeting at Patwardhan Park, Bandra, regularly over the last couple of weeks since fire engulfed the three-storeyed Link Square Mall, in Linking Road, reducing their places of business to ashes, on April 29. Shopkeepers and owners of 210 galas (small shops) gather at the park in the day to discuss the way forward, draft letters to various government authorities and politicians for help, or share know-how about work options. On Monday afternoon, some of them were seen playing cricket, to keep at bay anxieties about their future even if momentarily, while some others were seated in a corner worrying about mounting bills and monthly rents. One of them, salon owner Hema Gadia, who started her business here in 2021, after saving Rs.5 lakh from a full-time job, said: "I have lost equipment worth at least Rs.28 lakh in the fire. I have also lost brand partnerships. The blaze gutted the mall and our lives." Sole bread-earner, Gadia looks after her mother who has had a bypass surgery recently and is frail of health. Struggling to make ends meet, she said, "I had saved some cash in the salon, but as the fire broke out at the end of the month, all of it was destroyed - the funds would have been utilised to pay EMIs and medical bills." She added, after stabilizing her business in four years, she was planning to get married next year, "but now I will have to start from zero". After the unfortunate incident, two other malls located in the street became a beacon of hope for those who suffered losses; but their aspirations were dashed soon. As Shoaib Mansoori, one of the shopkeepers who incurred a loss of around Rs.50 lakh, said, "A few of us tried to find space in the malls nearby but were taken aback by the sudden hike in rents. Owners of unoccupied galas, which were priced at a mere Rs.10,000, are now asking between Rs.40,000 and Rs.45,000 per month." Imran Shaikh, who ran a garment store at Link Square for over 20 years, has now slipped into food deliveries, after signing up with various apps, to make ends meet. "I have two daughters and a wife to look after. We cannot survive without a monthly income. The rent at the mall was so high that after cutting operational costs, I only made Rs.30,000-Rs.35,000 a month. The shop was all I had. I have two loans to pay off and see no way of reviving the store," he said. Some shopkeepers who had stocks stashed elsewhere, have resorted to hawking on the street. Others who have no way out to revive their business, have pinned their hopes on former MLA Zeeshan Siddique, whose family is a stakeholder of the mall which was established by his father, former Maharashtra minister the late Baba Siddique, in 2009. Zeeshan Siddique was unavailable for a comment to HT. "I called Zeeshan Siddique many times but couldn't get through," said Gadia. Mansoori has written to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging for a relief package to resuscitate their businesses. HT has a copy of the letter. He also demanded an inquiry by the Mumbai fire brigade into the management of the mall who allegedly failed to keep the fire safety mechanism in place. "We are waiting for the forensic report. Once we get that, we will file an FIR against the Croma, which was being operated from the basement," said Mansoori. Fire brigade officials told HT that the forensic report is expected to be released this week. On April 29 fire officials initially stated that the blaze had started from the Croma showroom. The fire was reported at 4:11am inside the electronics showroom, which quickly escalated through combustible materials all the way to the top floor, bringing it to the category of Level-4 fire. It was brought under control after almost 24 hours of firefighting. "If they decide to demolish the structure and build something new, most of us will have nothing. Many kept the agreements in the shops, and those who have them in their homes are unsure what the course of action might be if a new mall comes up," said Mansoori....