Tagged as one of the faster urbanising area on the outskirts of city, and also seeing growth in skyscrappers, the Besa-Pipla Nagar Panchayat is putting in place a wider plan to be ready for future challenges, and plans a spacious and modern fire station. Currently, a fire tender parked along the roadside due to lack of space near the Besa-Pipla Nagar Panchayat office has highlighted the growing need for better fire fighting infrastructure in one of Nagpur’s fastest-expanding localities. In view of the increasing demand, the Besa-Pipla Nagar Panchayat officials said the new larger fire station near Vincent Pallotti School.

 

The existing fire station is located at the first floor of the building of the Nagar Panchayat Office, Besa Square. Bharat Nandanwar, Chief Officer (CO), Besa-Pipla Nagar Panchayat, said the civic body is planning to shift the existing fire station to a 23,000 sq ft plot near Vincent Pallotti School after the ongoing road expansion work in the area is completed. The road is going to be expanded upto 7 feet and the fire station would stand as the centre of attraction with all the facilities included. The proposal is still being prepared and will be submitted in the coming months. Once approvals are received, the project is expected to take about a year to become operational.

 

At present, Besa-Pipla has only one fire tender of 4500 litre, which has to be parked on the roadside due to the lack of adequate space at the existing fire station. Considering the area’s rapid urbanisation and the increasing number of fire incidents, Nandanwar said he is also planning to seek the addition of two more fire tenders to strengthen emergency response. The proposal includes a 16,000-litre multipurpose foam tender for tackling major industrial and commercial fires, and a 4,000 litre compact fire tender for quick response in narrow internal roads and residential areas. The proposed fire station has been envisioned with adequate space to accommodate multiple fire tenders, emergency vehicles and future expansion. It is planned to operate round the clock with six personnel deployed in each of the three shifts, ensuring uninterrupted emergency services for residents.

 

According to officials, procurement of the additional vehicles for the existing set-up is the only major pending requirement, and the incoming fire tender and compact response vehicle are expected before Diwali this year. With Besa-Pipla witnessing rapid residential and commercial growth, civic officials believe the planned fire station and expansion of the fire fighting fleet will be crucial in improving response time and strengthening fire safety infrastructure across the locality in the years ahead.