Rs 24.5-crore plan to upgrade city fire wing

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 20

As the local fire wing has been facing a shortage of firefighting equipment for a long time, about Rs 24.49 crore will be spent under the Smart City Mission to revamp and modernise the wing. Ludhiana Smart City Limited (LSCL) has given its nod for the project.

Under the project, a number of firefighting and rescue vehicles, including three mini fire engines, three fire engines (Type B), one advanced rescue tender and four quick-response vehicles, are to be purchased. Firefighting equipment, including 10 hydraulic tools (battery operated), five life detectors, five victim location cameras with breaching system, 15 fire proximity suits, five aluminised fire suits, five inflatable lighting towers, five thermal imaging cameras, three portable fire pumps and 10 multiple gas detectors, will be purchased.

Latest communication system, water supply line

There is a plan to set up the Motorola communication system at five fire stations in the city. Besides, a separate water supply line for firefighting in Mochpura Bazaar, Gandhi Nagar and Sohan Nagar will be set up.

Chief Executive Officer of Ludhiana Smart City Limited-cum-MC Additional Commissioner Sanyam Aggarwal said the tenders to purchase some items had been floated and more will be floated soon.

While hundreds of fire incidents take place in the city every year, poorly equipped firefighters work under tough conditions in building on fire.

In November 2017, 16 persons, including nine firefighters, had lost their lives in a fire at a plastic-manufacturing factory. The firefighters were wearing wet sacks to protect themselves from the heat while dousing the flames at the factory.

Chairman of Indian Institute of Architects Punjab Chapter and one of the directors of Ludhiana Smart City Limited Sanjay Goel said: “Ludhiana is an industrial town but it is not a well-planned city. There are many factories located in narrow lanes. A number of people have lost their lives in major fire incidents. There is a need to upgrade the fire wing and it must have necessary firefighting gear, vehicles and adequate staff.”