BMC proposes deleting fire station reservation in Versova for residential use

Versova residents currently rely on the Irla and Goregaon fire stations, which are far away. Traffic congestion could further hamper the speed of fire services reaching the area. Despite this, the BMC has seen fit to propose opening up the land reserved for the fire station and a municipal police chowky for residential use

MUMBAI: For a locality with a population of over 3,76,000, Versova could soon lose a planned fire station if a BMC proposal to delete the reservation and convert the land for residential use goes through.

BMC proposes deleting fire station reservation in Versova for residential use

Versova residents currently rely on the Irla and Goregaon fire stations, which are far away. Traffic congestion could further hamper the speed of fire services reaching the area. Despite this, the BMC has seen fit to propose opening up the land reserved for the fire station and a municipal police chowky for residential use.

The land, around 3,439 sq m in a Versova MHADA layout, has 2,296 sq m reserved for the chowky and 1,143.16 sq m for the fire station. Another 740.40 sq m of over 2,550 sq m of the adjoining police chowky reservation on Location B is proposed to be merged with this. The proposal has been placed before the BMC Improvement Committee for initiating the process.

The proposal follows a request made by the chief officer of MHADA’s Mumbai Board on July 16, 2025, seeking corrections to existing reservations shown in the BMC’s DP 2034 on the MHADA plot. An official from the Development Plan department said that an earlier location for the police chowky approved in 2010 was not properly reflected in the DP, resulting in the old location continuing to be shown, and the BMC had therefore proposed retaining the police chowky at Location B in accordance with the earlier approved layout.

Ashraf Azmi, Congress group leader in the BMC has questioned whether a discrepancy in the location of the municipal chowky can be used to justify the deletion of a separate fire station reservation. He has sought an explanation of why the fire station was included in DP 2034 and what changed subsequently for the BMC and fire brigade to conclude that it was no longer required.

Questioning the decision to remove a fire station reservation from an area with several high-rise residential developments, Azmi has also demanded an independent assessment of fire risk and emergency response requirements in Versova, Seven Bungalows, Lokhandwala, Oshiwara and surrounding areas. He has also sought a hearing with citizens.

Congress corporator Meher Mohsin Haider also reiterated that the proposal could not be treated as merely a correction to DP 2034.

“The Corporation’s own records show that the municipal police chowky reservation had already been shifted under the sanctioned DP 1991 and the approved 2011 layout, yet the old reservation reappeared in DP-2034. How did this happen, and who prepared, checked and certified the plan?” Haider said. “The Corporation must establish what additional development potential this creates and who stands to benefit.”

The BMC got a green signal for its proposal from the chief fire officer in November 2025. The officer stated that considering the existing Andheri fire station, a mini fire station and the proposed Ambivali fire station, a separate fire station at the MHADA layout was presently not required. However, Haider has questioned whether a Fire Brigade no-objection stating that a fire station was “presently not required” was sufficient justification to permanently give up the reservation.

Dhaval Shah of the Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association criticised the proposal, saying that with all beach-facing properties going in for redevelopment, the population would increase fivefold. “The Versova-Madh bridge is also being constructed,” he said. “With rapid redevelopment and major infrastructure projects such as the Versova-Dahisar Link Road, the Andheri-Lokhandwala-Oshiwara belt is likely to see a significant rise in population and emerge as a major transit hub. So this particular fire station reservation which is being deleted will cater to all these residents. There is no point in deleting reservations to aid a developer.”

Shah further added that the proposed fire station at Chitrakoot Ground would not be adequate to meet the area’s future needs. “The Irla fire station is currently the closest facility for residents around Yari Road. However, Mumbai’s traffic congestion could significantly slow down the movement of fire engines, potentially giving a fire a critical head start to spread and cause greater damage,” he said.

The BMC has sought approval to initiate suggestions and objections. Any modification will ultimately require the state government’s approval under Section 37(2). The proposal was referred back at the improvements’ committee on Wednesday but will be re-tabled again this month.