Maruti Suzuki cars converted into quick response vehicle for Delhi fire service

DFS director Atul Garg confirmed that 24 such Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs) will arrive at DFS headquarters by May 15

The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) has remodelled a Maruti XL-6 by fitting it with a high-pressure firefighting pump imported from France in a bid to improve emergency response in Delhi’s congested areas, officials said.

DFS officers demonstrate firefighting equipment before chief minister Rekha Gupta last week. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

DFS director Atul Garg confirmed that 24 such Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs) will arrive at DFS headquarters by May 15. “They’ll be extremely useful for fires that are reported from narrow and congested areas,” he added.

According to a DFS official, the vehicles are fitted with an ultra high-pressure pump (UHPP) extinguishing system, a cutting-edge technology that uses high-pressure fine mist to cool fire zones swiftly and displace oxygen, extinguishing flames faster than traditional systems. “It also requires minimal water which reduces property damage and conserves valuable resources,” the official added.

The cost of one QRV is about ₹36 lakh with the modifications, officials aware of the matter said.

The QRVs, designed to reach confined spaces, will be used as first responders to fires involving electrical poles, transformer fires, LPG cylinders, and fires in congested lanes, fire officials said. Each pump can store 100 litres of water, making them compact yet efficient. Officials also said the system’s fine mist can access hard-to-reach concealed areas, offering environmental benefits by using less water.

These vehicles are part of a larger ₹504-crore revamp plan for DFS announced by chief minister Rekha Gupta during her visit to the headquarters on Friday. Gupta said ₹110 crore would go towards procuring new equipment. The plan includes setting up new fire stations in underserved areas, installing surveillance cameras on fire vehicles, equipping the control room with a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system, acquiring 100 small fire vehicles, and enhancing firefighter training, CM announced.