New Delhi: Amid high temperatures and frequent incidents of fire in electrical equipment across Delhi-NCR, RWAs are carrying out drills on fire safety, sending notices and advisories to residents and holding meetings to raise awareness.
Following a recent tragic fire incident that claimed three lives in Dwarka Sector 13, RWAs across various Cooperative Group Housing Societies (CGHS) have stepped up their fire safety measures.
“Fire incidents such as short circuits and fires in air conditioners or other electrical appliances tend to rise during the summer due to overload. We started regularly circulating notices to raise awareness and inform residents about essential fire safety measures,” said Rejimon CK, founder of the Dwarka Forum.
Dwarka Sector 5 RWA President Sanjeev Sultana explained that the society regularly circulates notices and safety measures to handle emergencies such as kitchen fires, short circuits, and other fire-related incidents. These notices also include instructions on how to use safety equipment.
“The authorities have advised residents not to block staircases with plants or any flammable items and to keep all exit routes clear and spacious,” he added.
Sultana explained that they are coordinating with the fire safety department to conduct a drill aimed at teaching people how to quickly evacuate during a fire and how to use firefighting equipment effectively in an emergency.
“We have also done a presentation and meeting with all residents to discuss fire safety measures,” said Sultana.
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WhatsApp groups to ground reality
Yash Yadav, 35, and his two children were trapped on the balcony of their 9th-floor flat in Dwarka Sector 13 after a sudden fire broke out.
As the fire intensified and there was no way to escape from the balcony, in an attempt to save their lives, he jumped out with them. All three lost their lives.
After the incident in Dwarka Sector 13, societies in Sector 5, Sector 2, Sector 6 and other nearby areas immediately began issuing safety advisories.
“Our WhatsApp group has been buzzing with messages over the past two to three days about fire safety measures and precautions for electrical appliances,” said Divya Sharma, a resident of Dwarka.
However, she also expressed her frustration, saying that authorities and residents only become active when something serious happens. They start circulating messages and notices, but after a while, everyone forgets about the issue. She further complained that although society administrations collect funds for safety measures, little to no action is visible on the ground.
“Everyone wakes up only when a tragedy occurs, but then forgets after a couple of days. Even the authorities stop working soon after,” Sharma emphasised. “The government should enforce stricter regulations and regularly conduct safety inspections in high-rise societies to ensure proper measures are in place,” she added.
Despite being one of the largest sub-cities in Delhi, Dwarka—located in South West Delhi—has only one operational fire station, situated in Sector 6.
“Dwarka is a busy and rapidly growing area, yet it still has only one nearby fire station. Promises to construct additional fire stations were made years ago, but nothing has materialised,” said Rejimon.
Speaking about the safety measures campaign led by Delhi RWAs, BS Vohra, head of the Confederation of East Delhi RWAs, explained that Delhi mostly consists of open and plotted colonies rather than high-rise buildings, where homeowners themselves take care of safety measures. However, fire safety measures are always included in the guidelines.
“In Delhi, there are very few high-rise buildings that collect funds specifically for fire safety, but if needed, RWAs do issue safety measures to be followed,” said Vohra.
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New fire stations
The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) currently operates 66 fire stations across the National Capital Territory. To further strengthen fire safety infrastructure in the city, the government has approved the construction of additional fire stations at several key locations. These include Chandrawal Water Works, Anand Parbat, Geetanjali Enclave, Dwarka Sector 20, Dwarka Sector 3, Yamuna Vihar, Sector 3 Rohini, Golden Park Rohtak Road, Mahipalpur, and a training centre at Budhanpur Majra. This expansion aims to improve emergency response times and enhance fire preparedness in rapidly developing areas.
The Delhi government has allocated a budget of Rs 500 crore for the upgrade of the fire services, with Rs 125 crore earmarked specifically for procuring new equipment, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced in April.
“Each fire station will undergo significant upgrades to strengthen operational capabilities and improve infrastructure. A long-overdue revamp of the fire control room is also underway to transform it into a fully computerised, state-of-the-art hub,” said Gupta.
Rejimon shared that they have contacted the Delhi Fire Service multiple times regarding the completion of an under-construction fire station in Sector 21. However, each time they were told that the project could not proceed due to either a lack of budget approval or the absence of further instructions from the government. ThePrint has seen this email exchange.
“For years now, there has only been talk about starting the work, but nothing has actually been completed,” said Rejimon. “The government needs to seriously reconsider the issue of having just one fire station in such a large area and act swiftly,” he added.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)