Delhi | September 10, 2026
The Delhi government has initiated the formation of a dedicated Delhi disaster response force after the Satya Niketan building collapse, which killed seven people, the chief minister’s office said on Thursday. The proposed State Disaster Emergency Relief Force, or SDERF, is intended to provide a faster response to natural and man-made disasters in the capital.
The decision followed a meeting between Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and senior National Disaster Response Force officials at the Delhi Secretariat. According to a post by the CMO Delhi, the meeting produced inputs needed to establish a state-of-the-art SDERF team. The government said the process of forming the force had begun following the chief minister’s instructions.
The proposed force is expected to strengthen Delhi’s existing disaster management arrangements by creating a trained response mechanism under the state government. The CMO said the aim was to ensure that Delhi had its own capable and rapid response force for emergencies, rather than relying solely on external assistance during major incidents.
Officials had said on Monday that the government was considering the formation of four battalions of the State Disaster Emergency Relief Force. The proposed force would be tasked with responding to both natural and man-made calamities across the national capital, although the government has not yet announced a detailed deployment plan, operational structure or timeline for making the battalions functional.
The force is planned to draw personnel from the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces, alongside direct recruitment of eligible candidates. The recruitment plan will include former Agniveers, according to officials cited in the report. Details of the number of personnel, training arrangements, equipment and locations of the proposed units have not been disclosed.
The government said the need for a dedicated response force had been under consideration because of Delhi’s large population, frequent accidents and exposure to earthquake risk. Delhi is located in Seismic Zone-IV, a classification indicating significant seismic vulnerability. The Satya Niketan collapse has added urgency to the effort, with the chief minister’s office linking the decision to the rescue and relief operation carried out after the incident.
The CMO said Gupta expressed gratitude to the NDRF team for the promptness and coordination shown during the Satya Niketan rescue operation on behalf of Delhi residents. The government has not yet provided a final notification establishing the SDERF or specified when its first battalion will become operational.
