Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Recent fire incidents at BHEL and WALMI should have set off alarm bells for the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), yet no concrete plan has been laid out to address fire emergencies in the city’s suburban areas.
Two major suburban pockets of Bhopal — Misrod and Transport Nagar (Kokta) do not have fire stations and have to rely on the Kolar facility to meet any emergency.
In the recent past, two major fire incidents were reported in the state capital. Garbage dumped adjacent to the BHEL plant caught fire, while the forest area of WALMI was engulfed in flames, affecting nearly 30 acres — which is known for frequent tiger movement.
These incidents have triggered public demands for immediate setting u[p of fire stations in these two areas
As per the rules, there should be one fire tender for every 50,000 people. Misrod, which covers the entire stretch of residential colonies along Hoshangabad Road — from RRL Trisection to 11-Meel Square — houses nearly 3 lakh people, along with commercial complexes and Barkatullah University.
Similarly, Transport Nagar, with a population between 2.5 and 3 lakh, hosts numerous educational institutions, including engineering colleges, and also recently shifted RTO office.
Ajay Singh, president of the Petrol Pump Dealers’ Association and a Misrod resident, emphasized the urgency. “The satellite township, with a population of around 3 lakh, needs a dedicated fire station. Fire tenders from the Kolar station take time to reach Misrod, and in such emergencies every second counts. The administration must seriously consider establishing a fire station here,” he said.
Rajesh Chouksey, corporator of Ward No. 62 (Transport Nagar), also stressed the need for a fire station. “Transport Nagar has a population of around 2.5 to 3 lakh and is a widely spread-out area. Fire incidents are common in summer. It is extremely challenging for BMC to manage fire outbreaks here, which points at the urgent need for a dedicated fire station,” said the corporator.
Speaking on the same lines, Sajid Khan, a BMC fire officer, said, “Fire stations with properly equipped tenders are a must in Misrod and Transport Nagar to effectively manage emergencies. Currently, the Kolar fire station caters to both these areas.”
Kokta, which is part of Transport Nagar, has many educational institutions and residential colonies. The RTO office has also been relocated there, increasing the urgency for setting up a fire station, the officer added.
