Cidco areas to get four new fire stations

The town planning agency has already allotted two plots at Kamothe and Taloja for the fire stations

NAVI MUMBAI: The city is set to get four more fire stations as the City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) has decided to set up the new stations in view of the increasing population in all its nodes.

The town planning agency has already allotted two plots at Kamothe and Taloja for the fire stations. Two other plots at Pushpak Nagar and near Panvel for the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) have been earmarked and will be allotted soon, a senior officer said.

“Population in Kamothe and Taloja is increasing very fast and will soon cross 1 lakh. In the absence of fire stations, these areas are now being covered by Kharghar and Kalamboli fire stations. So two plots have been allotted for constructing independent fire stations in these areas,” said a senior officer from Cidco’s fire station.

“Pushpak Nagar still does not have a sizeable population, but it has seen fast development in the past two years. Population will increase in this area in next three to four years,” he said.

Cidco, however, has not allocated any budget for these projects. Meetings are being held for clearing other formalities and the budget for the first two fire stations will be finalised soon.

“It is therefore too early to say when these fire stations will be operational,” the officer said.

As of now Cidco has four fire stations at Kharghar, New Panvel, Kalamboli and Uran.

Each station has only one fire engine. Only Kharghar has a big water tank and a 32metre skylift.

Cidco completed the construction of a fire station at Ulwe around three months ago. However, it will take them another six months to make it operational as the station doesn’t have fire engines and

other vehicles yet.

This station also has quarters for 32 staffers.

Vijay Rane, deputy fire chief of Cidco, said, “We have placed orders for the vehicles and fire

engine for the Ulwe station a couple of weeks ago. However, it takes three to four months

for making one fire engine. We should be able to inaugurate the station after six months.”