Pune Fire Brigade Proposes Rs 24 Crore for Modern Vehicles to Address City’s Expanding Needs

Pune, 1st January 2025: With frequent fire incidents occurring daily in Pune city, the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) fire brigade is facing a significant workload. Given the vast area of Pune, responding quickly to emergencies poses a considerable challenge. Compounding the issue, 27 fire brigade vehicles have been decommissioned as they have reached the end of their service life. Currently, the fire brigade operates with a fleet of 22 vehicles and 5 tankers.

To address the shortage, a proposal of ₹24 crore has been submitted to the PMC Standing Committee for the purchase of new vehicles. Among these, five vehicles will have the capacity to spray water up to 15 to 16 floors, specifically catering to fires in high-rise buildings.

Over recent years, PMC’s jurisdiction has expanded. After the inclusion of 34 villages, the total area increased to 518 square kilometres. However, following the exclusion of two villages, Uruli Devachi and Phursungi, the area now stands at 480 square kilometres. PMC is working to establish fire stations in both central areas and the suburbs. However, setting up a fire station requires adequate space, manpower, and vehicles, which remain challenging.

With a population of 60 lakh, Pune requires one fire vehicle for every 1 lakh residents as per regulations. However, the city currently has only 20 fire stations, resulting in an inadequate number of vehicles. Fires frequently occur in unauthorised warehouses, scrap materials, garbage piles, parked vehicles, hotels, residential properties, and even on hills as wildfires. During Diwali, fire incidents increase due to crackers, further straining the already limited firefighting resources.

An average of 200 to 225 fires occur in Pune City every month, totalling approximately 2,400 to 2,500 incidents annually. In cases of major fires, four to five fire vehicles often need to be dispatched to the same location, requiring meticulous planning by the fire brigade. Recognising the city’s growing needs, the fire brigade has undergone modernisation in recent years, with an increase in manpower.

The current fleet consists of 10 tankers and 44 vehicles of various types. However, 5 tankers and 22 vehicles have surpassed 15 years of service and have been decommissioned, halving the fleet’s capacity. To address this, new vehicles are being procured. This includes six modern multi-purpose fire vehicles, for which a tender worth ₹11.99 crore has been submitted to the PMC’s Standing Committee for approval. Additionally, a small vehicle designed for alleys and slums will be purchased at a cost of ₹1.12 crore.

With the rise in high-rise construction, the fire brigade faces new challenges. The PMC’s High-Rise Committee has approved buildings up to 150 meters tall, with many structures reaching up to 20 floors. However, the fire brigade currently lacks vehicles capable of spraying water at such heights, as its existing equipment can only reach up to 7 to 8 floors. To address this gap, PMC plans to acquire five state-of-the-art vehicles capable of spraying water up to 15 to 16 floors. These lightweight vehicles, which can be connected to pipes, will enhance operational efficiency. The acquisition will cost ₹10.86 crore.

Chief Fire Officer Devendra Potphode explained, “As per Regional Transport Office (RTO) rules, vehicles older than 15 years cannot be used. As a result, 27 fire brigade vehicles have been retired, and the process to procure new state-of-the-art vehicles has been initiated.”