BMC Scraps Versova Fire Station Reservation for Housing, Sparking Concern

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's move to scrap a fire-station reservation on a 1,143-square-metre plot in Versova, Andheri, and rezone it for residential housing has sparked alarm among local residents. With the nearest existing fire stations located kilometres away, citizens fear that emergency response times will be severely impacted in the event of a blaze.

The BMC's Improvement Committee recently approved the proposal to replace the designated fire-station site and municipal post site with residential zoning. Versova currently has a population exceeding five lakh people, but it relies on fire services stationed in Irla and Goregaon. Local commuters and residents worry that navigating Mumbai's heavy traffic could lead to crucial delays during fire emergencies.

Dhaval Shah of the Andheri Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens’ Association criticised the civic body's decision to drop the reservation. He warned that rapid redevelopment and major infrastructure developments will place mounting pressure on the region's existing emergency services.

Shah pointed out that with upcoming projects like the Versova-Dahisar Link Road, Andheri is positioned to become a major transit hub. He noted that a proposed fire station at Chitrakoot Ground would not be adequate to handle future demands, particularly as the local population is expected to expand three- to four-fold in the coming years.

He added that the nearest active facility is currently situated at Irla, raising concerns that by the time fire engines manage to reach locations like Yari Road, a blaze could cause extensive damage and endanger lives.