Bengaluru: Bengaluru's heavy traffic is proving more than merely an inconvenience for ordinary commuters as it is also holding up fire tenders rushing to respond to emergency calls. A worried fire services department has now appealed to the BBMP to provide it space in all wards to station Quick Response Vehicles (QRV) to help it react faster to fires in the city.
Unlike the normal fire tenders, which are large and find it difficult to navigate through traffic , the QRVs are either Bullet bike, jeep or tempo traveller mounted water tanks of different capacities and jet pressure, which can cruise through traffic and narrow bylanes to fight fire anywhere in the city . The QRVs are the first responders in any fire and rescue operation.
Speaking to the Decan Chronicle, Mr N R Markandeya, deputy director, fire prevention, said the issue was raised at a recent meeting with the Mayor, corporators and BBMP officials. “We asked them to provide us space and infrastructure in the wards to station the QRVs and explained the advantage of this. The corporators and BBMP officials appreciated the idea and have assured that they will discuss it with senior officers and come up with a plan at the earliest,” he revealed.
A senior fire service officer explained that going by the department’s manual, there should be a fire station for every 50,000 people or one in every 2 km radius. “But this is not possible in a city like Bengaluru as there is not enough space. While there are around 20 fire stations in the city, we need more as it is expanding with high rise buildings, houses, business establishments, complexes, malls, godowns, factories, industries and every other type of building coming up everywhere. With the traffic and narrow roads , normal fire tenders find it hard to negotiate their way through the city,” he added.
The officer said the problem could be solved if small fire stations with QRVs were set up in the wards. “These days, we require small fire stations in every ward due to the city’s geographical growth and increase in population. We never know what could happen when and so it is best to be prepared with the infrastructure,” he stressed When contacted, Mayor Sampath Raj, he said he intended to take up the matter on priority, as safety was paramount in a fast growing city like Bengaluru. “This is the need of the hour and we will ensure that the fire stations are set up across the city,” he assured.
