Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC's) move to scrap the fire-station reservation on a 1,143-sq-m Versova plot and rezone it for housing has alarmed residents. With the nearest fire station kilometres away, they fear the decision could cost precious minutes and lives in a fire emergency.

Versova Population Puts Pressure On Fire Services

Versova’s five lakh-plus population is served by fire stations in Irla and Goregaon, with traffic potentially adding crucial delays to emergency response. However, the BMC's Improvement Committee recently approved a proposal to replace the reserved fire-station site and municipal post site with residential zoning.

Dhaval Shah of the Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association criticised the decision to cancel the reservation, warning that the area’s rapidly growing population and major infrastructure projects could put additional pressure on existing fire services. “With rapid redevelopment and projects such as the Versova-Dahisar Link Road (VDLR), Andheri is set to become a major transit hub. The proposed fire station at Chitrakoot Ground will not be enough, as the population is expected to rise three- to four-fold in the coming years. The nearest fire station is at Irla. By the time fire engines reach Yari Road, a fire could have already caused extensive damage,” he said.