MP demands fire station in Jogeshwari East

The nearest fire stations were located far away and heavy traffic on the Western Express Highway and the Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) often slowed down fire engines, said Mumbai North West MP Ravindra Waikar

Mumbai: Mumbai North West MP Ravindra Waikar has urged the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to set up a mini fire station near the Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray Trauma Care Hospital in Jogeshwari East, citing growing population pressure and delays in emergency response.

Mumbai North West MP Ravindra Waikar (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

In a letter dated April 13, addressed to municipal commissioner Ashwini Bhide, Waikar highlighted rapid urbanisation in Jogeshwari, Andheri and Goregaon East, marked by clusters of multi-storey buildings, commercial hubs and congested internal roads. The nearest fire stations were located far away and heavy traffic on the Western Express Highway and the Jogeshwari Vikhroli Link Road (JVLR) often slowed down fire engines, affecting response during the golden hour of accidents and emergencies, the MP said.

Waikar proposed earmarking the municipal plot number 49, near the trauma hospital, for the mini fire station to ensure faster response and improve disaster preparedness across Goregaon, Andheri and Jogeshwari, home to nearly a million people.

A senior BMC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the civic body currently operates six command centres across seven zones, with an additional command centre being planned in Goregaon.

“There is no command centre in zone 4, where this demand has been raised. We are in the process of adding one command centre and will inspect the need for additional facilities as suggested. If there is requirement and feasibility, we will consider it,” the official said.

Work was already underway on a fire station in Andheri, the official said.

Residents’ groups in Andheri, Lokhandwala and Seven Bungalows have long demanded a full-fledged fire station in the area. Existing fire brigade units in Irla and Goregaon are not equipped to handle high-rise fires, which are now common in the area, said Dhaval Shah, co-founder of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Association. The locality sees a significant floating population due to commercial activity, further straining infrastructure, Shah said.

A long-pending reservation for a fire station at Ambivali, Andheri West, marked in the 1990 Development Plan on plot bearing CTS No. 844/13, remains undeveloped despite the developer having secured the plot at a concessional rate with a commitment to build the facility. The issue has escalated over the years, culminating in the developer furnishing a bank guarantee of ₹1.33 crore in favour of the municipal commissioner on March 31, 2026. Officials said work on the fire station was expected to commence in the coming months.