Delhi CM directs officials to prepare firefighting master plan

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta directed officials to create a "firefighting master plan" to enhance fire safety, accountability, and emergency response in the city.

New Delhi

A fire in northeast Delhi’s Ashok Nagar in the last week of April. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday directed officials to prepare a comprehensive “firefighting master plan” for the national capital, asking all departments concerned to submit within 10 days a detailed blueprint of vulnerable zones, recurring causes of fires, gaps in existing systems and preventive measures.

The directions were issued during a high-level review meeting at the Delhi Secretariat, attended by home and power minister Ashish Sood, chief secretary Rajiv Verma and senior officials from the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and power utilities, among others.

Gupta said departments linked to fire prevention and emergency response must become more accountable and better equipped to deal with emergencies. “No laxity will be tolerated in matters related to public safety,” the CM said.

The CM directed the DFS to prepare proposals for increasing manpower, opening new fire stations and procuring modern equipment. Officials said the government assured departments of budgetary support for strengthening infrastructure and operational capacity.

Gupta also asked departments to analyse past fires and prepare a response framework aimed at reducing delays during emergencies.

Minister Sood said the government was planning long-term strengthening of the DFS, in line with future requirements. “The department will be equipped with modern machinery and advanced firefighting equipment, keeping in mind the needs of the next five and 15 years, along with a projected plan for the next 25 years as well, based on the growing demographics and traffic requirement of the city,” Sood said.

He said that the government plans to work with residents’ associations, market associations, organisations and religious institutions to increase awareness on fire safety.

In the meeting, the CM also instructed the MCD to intensify monitoring of illegal constructions and encroachments, particularly in residential areas, where narrow lanes often obstruct the movement of fire tenders. She directed civic officials to ensure roads remained free from encroachments to facilitate emergency response operations.

The power department was asked to exercise caution while granting electricity connections and conduct regular inspections in vulnerable areas to assess the condition of electrical infrastructure. Officials said electrical faults continued to remain one of the major causes of fires in the city.

“The government wants to strengthen the operational capacity of all departments so that fire incidents can be reduced significantly and controlled swiftly, whenever they occur,” Gupta said.

Officials said the master plan will also include public awareness measures to improve preparedness among residents. The government plans to launch a citywide awareness campaign on fire safety practices at homes, markets and public spaces. Mock drills are also proposed in residential colonies to train residents on emergency response procedures.