The Delhi government has expanded the city’s emergency response capacity with 20 specialised fire response motorcycles and 26 Quick Response Vehicles (QRVs), targeting narrow lanes, crowded neighbourhoods and congested roads where conventional fire tenders can face mobility constraints.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flagged off the vehicles during the inauguration of the Geetanjali Fire Station in Malviya Nagar under the government’s ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’. With the new station becoming operational, Delhi now has 71 fire stations. The government has set a target of increasing that number to 120.
Gupta said the administration was working to ensure that emergency assistance reaches residents as quickly as possible, particularly in areas where large fire tenders cannot move easily. “The Delhi government is committed to providing fast, effective and professional fire and rescue services to every resident of Delhi in an emergency,” she said.
She added that Delhi’s growing population and changing urban landscape required the fire service to adopt modern technology, improved mobility and faster response mechanisms. According to Gupta, the fire service’s role extends beyond firefighting to providing quick relief and rescue during different kinds of emergencies.
Home Minister Ashish Sood said densely populated areas, narrow roads and increasing traffic had created new challenges for the city’s emergency response system. He said the Delhi Fire Service was being modernised through improvements to its fleet, communication systems, command centres and firefighting equipment.
The 20 specialised motorcycles are designed to reach narrow roads, crowded markets and congested neighbourhoods faster than large fire tenders. They carry compressed-air foam and water-mist backpack systems, high-pressure air cylinders, portable fire extinguishing systems and dual-mode nozzles. Trained firefighters can use the equipment for initial firefighting and rescue operations until additional resources arrive.
The 26 new QRVs have taken the Delhi Fire Service’s total QRV strength to 50. Each vehicle is equipped with a 125-litre ultra-high-pressure pump firefighting system, comprising 100 litres of water and 25 litres of foam. The vehicles also have a high-pressure pump, a 60-metre hose and a multi-system nozzle. The government plans to increase the QRV fleet to 100 in phases.
The Geetanjali Fire Station has 16 firefighters, a small fire tender, a QRV and firefighting and rescue equipment. Its service area includes Malviya Nagar, Geetanjali, Shivalik, Khirki, Press Enclave, Deoli, Nai Basti, Adarsh Enclave and nearby areas.
The government is also working on eight new fire stations, a vehicle workshop and training facilities, while developing infrastructure for 23 additional stations. A fire service training centre is planned at Budhanpur Majra. The next expansion will determine how quickly these facilities and vehicles are brought into operational service across the city.
