Delhi govt pushes for long-term fire safety master plan for capital

Sood reviewed fire preparedness plans, bottlenecks in existing prevention mechanisms, availability of modern firefighting equipment and procurement of new fire tenders, officials said.

New Delhi: Delhi home minister Ashish Sood on Monday reviewed the Capital’s fire safety measures and directed officials to conduct regular fire audits, modernise firefighting systems, and prepare a comprehensive firefighting master plan, officials said.

The minister directed officials to further strengthen and technologically upgrade fire safety infrastructure to ensure swift and effective emergency response. (HT photo)

The directions were issued during a review meeting with the Delhi Fire Services (DFS). Sood emphasised improving emergency response time, modernising internal communication systems, developing an advanced command-and-control mechanism, and providing technical training to fire officials in line with evolving technologies, officials said.

The meeting occurred days after chief minister Rekha Gupta directed officials to prepare a comprehensive “firefighting master plan” for the Capital. Last week, Gupta asked all concerned departments to submit within 10 days a detailed blueprint identifying vulnerable zones, recurring causes of fires, gaps in existing systems, and preventive measures.

During Monday’s meeting, Sood reviewed fire preparedness plans, bottlenecks in existing prevention mechanisms, availability of modern firefighting equipment, procurement of new fire tenders, modernisation plans for the department, and the proposed firefighting master plan, officials said.

The minister directed officials to further strengthen and technologically upgrade Delhi’s fire safety infrastructure to ensure swift and effective emergency response.

Sood told divisional officers that, as heads of their respective jurisdictions, they were responsible for preventing and controlling fire incidents. He instructed them to work closely with resident welfare associations (RWAs), market associations, religious committees, park clubs, and other social organisations to conduct fire safety awareness campaigns, including mock drills and sessions on fire prevention and emergency response protocols.

Directions were also issued to strengthen fire prevention strategies, awareness drives, and emergency preparedness measures. Divisional officers were asked to encourage residents to install modern fire safety equipment such as sprinklers, smoke detectors, and other firefighting devices in homes.

The fire department was also directed to conduct regular reviews and fire audits of highly sensitive locations, including schools, colleges, hospitals, and night shelters, to strengthen safety arrangements and improve emergency preparedness.

Officials were asked to prepare and submit a comprehensive Fire Fighting Master Plan aligned with the city’s needs over the next three, 15, and 25 years, taking into account rising population density and rapid urban expansion.

“Extensive awareness campaigns should be conducted even in buildings and areas that currently do not fall directly under the operational jurisdiction of the DFS, so that citizens can be made aware of fire safety measures,” Sood said.

Sood also directed the principal director of the DFS to convene an inter-departmental coordination meeting involving Delhi Police, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Cantonment Board, power distribution companies, and other civic agencies.

Senior fire department officials and divisional officers from all six divisions attended the meeting.