Delhi has 71 fire stations against need for 120, fire chief says

Delhi Fire Services has 71 fire stations against a stated requirement of 120, while its workforce of around 2,500 firefighters is below the more than 12,000 personnel Chief Fire Officer A.K. Malik said are needed.

Malik described the city’s fire preparedness as “average”, citing congested roads, narrow lanes, unplanned construction and weak compliance with building by-laws. Around 80% of Delhi is unplanned, he said, and only about 5% of buildings have occupancy certificates. He also said Delhi has more than 1,000 unauthorised colonies, where building plans and fire-safety clearances may not be submitted to authorities.

The department attended 36,000 calls in 2024-25. Malik said 1% of these calls came from buildings that had received Fire Safety Certificates from the department. Delhi has begun implementing third-party fire-safety certification following a May 26 notification.

The department plans to add 9,000 firefighters and expand its network to 120 stations over five years. It has deployed 24 Quick Response Vehicles, expects to add 26 shortly and has proposed 50 more. Malik said incorporating sprinklers and fire detectors into building by-laws could substantially reduce fire deaths.