Ghaziabad: Fire dept gets ₹100 cr for two hydraulic platforms

The GDA approved ₹100 crore for the fire department to buy two 101-metre hydraulic platforms after a major fire in Indirapuram.

A day after a major fire occurred at Gaur Green Avenue in Indirapuram, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) sanctioned ₹100 crore for the fire department to purchase two hydraulic platforms capable of reaching a height of 101 metres.

Fire department officials said they had requested funds from the GDA several times earlier to purchase two hydraulic platforms. (Sakib Ali/HT)

According to officials, the funds were approved by the GDA board on Thursday. “We have secured approval for the purchase of hydraulic platforms. Once the fire department provides details, we will transfer the funds immediately,” Nand Kishor Kalal, GDA’s vice-chairperson, told HT.

Fire department officials said they had requested funds from the GDA several times earlier to purchase two hydraulic platforms.

“The funds will be sufficient for purchasing two sets of hydraulic platforms. The 101-metre platforms can reach up to 30 storeys and will considerably aid evacuation procedures. Currently, the district has about 450 high-rises, and some upcoming high-rises will reach a height of about 40 storeys,” Rahul Pal, chief fire officer (CFO), told HT.

Currently, the fire department has a single hydraulic platform reaching up to 15 storeys, which was used during the fire incident of Wednesday.

“The agencies need to provide us land at these locations. The nearest fire station to these areas is at Kotwali Ghanta Ghar, and fire tenders usually get stuck in traffic. At Crossings Republik, we have a fire tender posted round-the-clock, but we need land for the fire station,” the CFO added.

“The demand for a fire station at Raj Nagar Extension has been pending for long. Several fire incidents have taken place in the past. Many high-rises do not have proper fire systems working,” said Deepanshu Mittal, a social activist and a resident of Raj Nagar Extension.

Officials said that currently, Ghaziabad has a fire station each at Vaishali, Kotwali, Sahibabad, Loni, and Modinagar. They added that land for new fire stations at Muradnagar and Tronica City have been identified.

“These stations will take about one year to get constructed. A new fire station is also proposed near the Sihani Gate police station which will take one year to complete. We have also posted one fire tender at a temporary fire station in the Kavi Nagar industrial area. Once these fire stations get functional, the requirement of fire tenders and personnel will be taken up by the fire department headquarters,” the CFO said further.

Kalal told HT that the developers will provide land at Crossings Republik. “We do not have any land at Raj Nagar Extension, and the fire department should reach out to the concerned authorities. For Raj Nagar Extension, we can provide land for the new fire station at our Harnandipuram township which is coming up near Raj Nagar Extension,” Kalal added.