Delhi Fire Service Plans to Add 9,000 Personnel and 49 Stations to Bridge Deficit
The Delhi Fire Service is operating with a severe deficit of personnel and infrastructure, managing only about 2,500 firefighters against a requirement of more than 12,000 across the capital.
The city currently operates 71 fire stations against a targeted requirement of 120. In dense localities such as Old Delhi, narrow and congested lanes, tangled overhead wires, and interconnected buildings continue to pose major hurdles for emergency response teams.
To bridge the gap, the department is slated to recruit an additional 9,000 firefighters and expand its network to 120 fire stations over the next five years. Land for eight new fire stations has already been acquired, with estimates and maps being coordinated through the Public Works Department. Another 14 sites have been identified under zonal plans with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and the agency has been requested to identify 23 further locations. Gram Sabha land for seven stations in urban villages is also under approval.
Fire officials noted that around 80% of construction across Delhi is unplanned, spanning more than 1,000 unauthorised colonies. Many building plans never reach the Municipal Corporation of Delhi or the building authority, bypassing the Fire Department's process for Fire Safety Certificates or Fire No Objection Certificates entirely. As a result, only about 5% of buildings in Delhi hold Occupancy Certificates.
Department data from 2024-25 revealed that out of 36,000 emergency calls attended, only 1% originated from buildings that held valid Fire Safety Certificates issued by the department.
To counter heavy traffic and tight lanes, the department has deployed 24 Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs), which are compact fire tenders built for congested roads. Another 26 QRVs are set to be introduced shortly, with preparations underway to order 50 more.
Officials also raised concerns over changing domestic construction, noting that lower ceilings and synthetic materials have cut flashover times from 17 to 18 minutes down to three to five minutes. To mitigate risk, the department has proposed mandatory sprinklers and detectors, alongside a 25-year technology vision plan that includes drones and computerised dispatch systems.
