Mumbai: City to get three more fire stations this year

Representation Pic

The city will get five new fire stations, which will be situated in the suburbs. The BMC budget estimates for the next financial year has proposed allocation for the fire brigade stations and other equipment worth Rs 232 crore. Earlier, Rs 216 crore was allotted for the improvement of the fire brigade in 2023-24. The brigade will also procure fire engines and turn-table ladders to replace the old ones.

BMC administrator IS Chahal proposed a budget of Rs 59,954 crore for the city for 2024-25 on Friday. For better response to fire tragedies within a short time, the Mumbai Fire Brigade has decided to increase the number of stations. As on date, there are 35 major and 19 small fire stations working across the city. Work of construction of new fire stations at Thakur Village, Kandivali East and LBS Road, Kanjurmarg West have begun may be completed next year. In addition to this, the Fire Brigade finalised three other locations at Juhu Tara Road in Santa Cruz West, Mahul Road in Chembur and Tilak Nagar. The work of construction will be undertaken by the City Engineer Department of the BMC. Three firefighting vehicles and three jumbo tankers will be procured as well.

Under the project Programme for Enhancement of Emergency Response (PEER), the fire brigade will purchase one more fire drone, 35 battery operated smoke exhausters, and six robotic life buoys for the rescue of people who are drowning. The long-pending proposal of a state-of-the-art building for training has also got a mention in the budget.

During the year 2023-24, two turntable ladders of 64 metres height have been included in the fleet. The fire brigade also placed work orders for 40-metre and 30-metre turntable ladders and one more fire robot to deal with fire in high rises. Twenty-two quick response vehicles, which will help in reaching narrow lanes, were also commissioned.