BMC Budget 2023-24: Budget slashed by 38 pc, focus on upgrading Fire Brigade gadgets

“This year, we will be purchasing drones for fire-fighting and surveillance. Besides this, we have also floated tenders for procuring firefighting robots and seven rescue vehicles with hydraulic platform and aerial platform, for carrying out fire-fighting in congested areas,” said Chahal during his budget speech. “We will also be adding more electric vehicles in our fleet… we will also be building state-of-the-art drill tower cum multi utility training simulator for quick response,” said Chahal.

A senior official of the MFB, on condition of anonymity, said that the primary reason for lower allocation this year is because heavy investment is not required. “Last year, MFB had invested heavily on equipment like fire-fighting bikes and turn table ladders. Therefore, our inventory doesn’t require any major investment now,” said the official. In Mumbai, almost 70 per cent fires which occur in the city every year are due to electric faults. The fire brigade has, in the past, procured several sophisticated equipment.