Delhi Govt to Set Up 10 New Fire Stations, Including Dwarka Sectors 3 and 20

The Delhi government is planning to set up 10 new fire stations at strategic locations across the capital, including Dwarka Sector 3 and Dwarka Sector 20, to bolster firefighting operations, officials announced on Wednesday.

Along with the two facilities proposed in Dwarka, the other planned fire stations will be located at Geeta Colony, Rohini Sector 41, Yamuna Vihar, Anand Parbat, IFC Narela, IFC Ghazipur, Chandrawal Waterworks, and the Budhanpur Majra Training Centre. Delhi currently operates 71 fire stations.

Under the expansion plan, eight of the 10 proposed stations are slated for development in the first phase. Each facility will have the capacity to house up to six fire tenders. Officials noted that adding these stations will allow the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) to station emergency vehicles closer to critical areas requiring rapid intervention.

Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood stated that the administration is actively working to address infrastructure gaps within the Delhi Fire Service by augmenting manpower, boosting firefighting capacity, and securing modern equipment. He added that the main focus is ensuring the department remains adequately prepared to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies.

A senior Delhi government officer said the DFS has initiated discussions with the Public Works Department regarding the construction of the proposed stations. However, physical work will begin only after assessments concerning land availability, approach roads, and technical equipment requirements are completed and finalised.

The push for expansion follows multiple major fire incidents in the city, including a blaze in Hauz Rani on June 3 that claimed 23 lives, as well as earlier residential fires in Palam on March 18 and Vivek Vihar on May 3, which each resulted in nine deaths.

Following inspections of fire stations and reviews of operational readiness, the government directed senior DFS officials to prioritize resolving issues in technology, documentation, and infrastructure. The move also follows the Union Ministry of Home Affairs technically vetting a proposal to increase DFS personnel strength by approving 10,743 new posts, with officials currently working on delegation modalities for the new facilities.