Boost to firefighting infra: 25 new fire stns to come up across state

Kolkata: In a big boost to the firefighting infrastructure in the state, the state Fire and Emergency Services department has initiated the process of setting up 25 new fire stations across the state. The department wants to start the construction of these fire stations ahead of Durga Puja.

North 24-Parganas district alone will have 5 new fire stations that includes places like Baguiati, Narayanpur, Hasnabad, Bilkanda (Khardah) and Dum Dum. Kolkata also figures in the list with a new fire station to come up at Nonadanga off EM Bypass. Three fire stations will be set up in Howrah, Nabanna, Dhulagarh and Amta. Minister in-charge of Fire and Emergency Services department Sujit Bose said that fire stations will come up at Dhaniakhali in Hooghly, Borjora in Bankura, Narayangarh in West 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.

The planning and estimate of all these fire stations is going on in full swing. The Public Works Department (PWD) will construct 17 of these fire stations, 6 will be constructed by Hooghly River Bridge Commissioner and 2 by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. This year alone, major fires have been reported in areas such as Park Circus, Sealdah ESI Hospital, Narkeldanga, Park Street and Pathuriaghata. Incidents in the Narkeldanga slum and Pathuriaghata in Jorabagan have claimed three lives.