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The Delhi government has approved seven new fire stations in the Outer North and South West districts to improve emergency coverage and reduce response times across underserved areas. The additions will increase the Delhi Fire Service network from 71 operational stations and are part of a wider plan to strengthen infrastructure, manpower and technology. The department is also pursuing additional sites, recruiting personnel and upgrading firefighting equipment. Its modernisation programme includes a central command and control centre, artificial intelligence, GPS, GIS and drone-based systems. The expansion is intended to address gaps in geographical coverage as Delhi continues to urbanise.
The Delhi government has approved the establishment of seven new fire stations in the capital’s Outer North and South West districts to improve geographical coverage and reduce emergency response times, with the decision announced on Thursday, 20 August. The additions will expand the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) network beyond its existing 71 operational stations and are intended to strengthen access to fire and rescue services in areas that currently have limited coverage.
The expansion comes as Delhi Fire Service works to address an infrastructure gap in a city with rapidly developing residential, commercial and industrial areas. The department has previously identified several locations where the absence of dedicated fire stations means fire tenders have to travel longer distances to reach incident sites. Increasing the number of stations is intended to bring emergency response infrastructure closer to vulnerable areas.
The latest seven-station approval is part of a broader expansion programme. In July, DFS officials said eight new stations were being developed over a six-month period at Rohini Sector-41, Geeta Colony, Anand Parbat, Yamuna Vihar, Dwarka Sector-3, Dwarka Sector-20, IFC Narela and Budhanpur Majra. Land for those projects had been acquired and work had started, according to officials.
DFS currently operates with 2,459 personnel across 71 stations, substantially below the Ministry of Home Affairs’ prescribed requirement of 120 fire stations and around 24,000 personnel for Delhi. The department has proposed recruiting 12,174 additional personnel to strengthen staffing at existing stations and support new facilities. The long-term plan envisages an operational workforce of 48,000 personnel working in eight-hour shifts over the next 25 years.
The department is also seeking additional land to support further expansion. Nine sites have been identified with the Delhi Development Authority, including locations in Rohini, Sultanpuri, Mahipalpur, Pitampura, Sarai Rohilla and Golden Park on Rohtak Road. DFS has also sought land for 14 additional sites under DDA zonal plans, covering areas including Burari, Karala, Mundka Industrial Area, Sonia Vihar, Karawal Nagar Industrial Area, Mandoli Industrial Area, Kapashera and Aya Nagar.
Under the DDA’s urbanisation plan covering 48 villages, the department has sought land for another 28 fire stations. Nizampur and Mundhela Kalan have already been confirmed for this purpose, according to DFS officials. The expansion programme is therefore being pursued through multiple land-allocation channels rather than being limited to the seven stations approved this month.
Technology is another component of the department’s modernisation plan. DFS intends to establish a centralised command and control centre within a year, supported by AI, GPS and GIS-based systems, along with separate command centres across its five operational zones. The department plans to examine drone-based surveillance and firefighting applications over the next two years, with live-video drones expected to be deployed within five years.
DFS has also submitted a proposal to procure 320 firefighting appliances, including aerial ladder platforms and turntable ladders, to strengthen its ability to respond to incidents in high-rise buildings. The combination of additional stations, manpower, equipment and technology forms part of the department’s wider effort to improve emergency preparedness and reduce response times across Delhi.
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