Gurugram: Civic body to revamp Sector 37 fire station, start work next month

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) will demolish the existing fire station in Sector 37 and construct a new building from next month, said officials on Wednesday adding that they intend to complete the reconstruction project within the next six months

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) will demolish the existing fire station in Sector 37 and construct a new building from next month, said officials on Wednesday adding that they intend to complete the reconstruction project within the next six months.

Gurugram, India – March 2, 2022: A view of the Sector 37 fire station, in Gurugram, India, on Wednesday, March 02, 2022. Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is set to start work on its reconstruction. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/ Hindustan Times) **To go with Kartik Kumar’s story** (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

According to officials in the fire department, the fire station is in an abominable state with no shed or cover for the fire tenders and limited seating capacity. The one-storey building is crumbling and in dire need of repairs, said officials.

“The MCG will demolish the existing building and build a new fire station in its place at an estimated cost of ₹7.22 crore. The Haryana Urban Local Bodies (ULB) has approved the estimates for the project and the tender process is currently underway. We are aiming to start on-ground construction from next month and complete the project in the next six months,” said Mandeep Dhankar, executive engineer of MCG, who is overseeing the project.

Dhankhar further said besides building a shed for the fire tenders, the MCG will build a two-storey four-block complex, which will have residential quarters for the firemen and office spaces.

Fire department officials said without any cover, they do not keep more than four tenders at the fire station at any given point as direct sunlight and rain can damage them and reduce their operational expectancy.

They further said shortage of fire tenders in Sector 37 becomes a major problem for rescue and relief operations during a major blaze in the area.

The Sector 37 fire station is located on Hero Honda Road--less than 2km from Hero Honda Chowk on one end and less than a kilometre from Pataudi Road on the other.

Besides catering to areas around Dwarka Expressway and Old Gurgaon, there are many industries near the Sector 37 fire station. In addition, the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway is also in close proximity, where incidents of vehicles catching fire have been reported several times in the past, said officials.

“Due to space constraint, we have kept a limited number of fire tenders at the Sector 37 fire station. After its reconstruction, we are aiming to keep at least 10 fire tenders at the station as these can cater to more places in the nearby areas,” said Rajbir Singh, fire safety officer at Sector 37 fire station.

Officials said the Sector 37 fire station became operational in January 2012. The building was originally supposed to be used as a slaughterhouse by the MCG but due to protests from locals and industrialists, the civic body decided to use it as a fire station instead.