Kolkata: The state Fire and Emergency Services department will set up 97 temporary fire stations across Bengal, including Kolkata, to enable immediate action in case of any fire incident during Durga Puja. These stations will remain operational from September 26 to October 3.
“We have identified places near 25 Puja pandals in Kolkata and its adjoining areas where we will come up with kiosks for highlighting various activities of the department for raising awareness regarding fire safety,” said state Fire and Emergency Services minister Sujit Bose.
Bose said that an inspection of the pandals led by DG (Fire) Ranveer Kumar to ensure fire safety will start from September 19. He further informed that 25 new fire stations will be set up in the state, which includes places like Baguiati, Narayanpur, Hasnabad, Bilkanda (Khardah), and Dum Dum in North 24-Parganas. Kolkata also figures in the list with a new fire station to come up at Nonadanga off EM Bypass.
“We have already refurbished the fire station at Kalighat, which will soon be inaugurated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. A new fire station that is coming up at Tollygunge will be completed by December,” he added.
Fire stations will come up at Dhaniakhali in Hooghly, Borjora in Bankura, Narayangarh in Paschim Midnapore, Itahar in North Dinajpur, Labhpur in Birbhum, Gazole in Malda, Manteshwar in East Burdwan, Balarampur and Manbazar in Purulia, Silda and Gopiballavpur in Jhargram, Harol (Baruipur) and Amtala in South 24-Parganas. Two fire stations in the Hills will also come up at Sukhiapokhri and Gorubathan in Kalimpong.
Presently, there are 166 fire stations in the state, with 55 new stations coming up since 2011, after the Trinamool Congress-led government assumed power for the first time.