Mumbai: Will Andheri West finally get its own fire station?

After repeated complaints from Andheri residents, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has finally moved forward with the file to construct the fire brigade station on busy Veera Desai Road after almost 10 years. Though the civic body has assured that the station will be ready within two years, residents are sceptical due to the record, as BMC officials have only been following up over the past decade.

On Monday morning, a fire broke out in the Aakash Deep building in SVP Nagar, Andheri West. The fire, which occurred in a meter box, was doused early, averting a major tragedy. Residents on Monday wrote a letter to BMC chief I S Chahal, urging him to address the issue of constructing a fire brigade station, as officials concerned haven't taken any steps even after numerous complaints.

This is not the first fire incident in the area, but the locality has witnessed frequent incidents in the past resulting in loss of human lives. Monday's incident has reignited discussions over the long-pending plan to construct a fire brigade station on Veera Desai Road.

"There are frequent fire incidents in the area, and the fire brigade sends vehicles from either Irla, Vile Parle station, or Oshivara station, which are almost four to five kilometres away. The vehicles take more than an hour as all roads in Andheri are always jam-packed with traffic. There is a reservation for a fire brigade on a plot on Veera Desai Road, but the BMC hasn't taken any steps to construct it," said a resident of Andheri.

Following frequent complaints, the BMC followed up with the developer last month. "The developer is ready to construct the fire station. The Fire Brigade has given an NOC for the plan. The file for concession over the construction is pending with the seniors of the Development Plan department of the BMC. Once it is approved, the IOD (Intimation of Disapproval) and then CC will be needed for the construction. It will take two months," said an officer with K West ward. However, civic officials do not know when the construction will be completed. Generally, the developer should complete it within two years, but no deadline can be given as it is his land.

Ravindra Ambulgekar, chief of Mumbai Fire Brigade, stated that they are in the process of constructing a major fire station in Andheri. They have also finalised one more fire station on Juhu Tara Road, as mentioned in the Budget Estimates of 2024-25. Additionally, the fire brigade has finalised two other locations at Mahul Road, Chembur, and Tilak Nagar.

The construction work will be undertaken by the City Engineer Department of the BMC. However, there is no mention of the Andheri fire station. "As it will be constructed by a private developer, there is no need to allocate any funds for it, and that's why it isn't mentioned in the budget estimate," said an official from the BMC.

Dhaval Shah, president of Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens' Association, criticised the BMC for granting development rights to a developer of Chitrakoot ground a decade ago on the condition that he would develop a fire station on a part of the land. Despite a reservation in the development plans for over two decades, the BMC has not progressed on the file. Shah said, "The BMC officials have been merely following up for the last ten years. Now they are just sending one file to their own department and waiting for sanctions. With this speed, how can we expect the station to be completed within two years?"

The demand for the fire station intensified after a fire in Andheri West killed two people, including a seven-year-old child, in November 2018. Recently, on January 31, a fire broke out in a flat on the 12th floor of a 14-storied building in Azad Nagar.

10
No of years the plan has been in limbo