North Andhra earmarked for six; experts warn staffing is key for full functionality
Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh would set up 17 new fire stations to strengthen the state’s emergency response capabilities.
Six stations, with one each engine, have been earmarked for North Andhra, for which the central government would allot Rs 250 crore. Each fire station requires more than 15 personnel, and their appointment is to be done by the state government.
New fire stations will be established in Yendada, Simhachalam, the IT SEZ, Nathavalasa in Bhogapuram, Araku, and Chintur in ASR.
Regional fire officer Niranjan Reddy told Deccan Chronicle that proposals have been submitted to allocate one fire engine to each station. From the funds allocated by the central government, Rs 4 crore has been designated for the north Andhra region.
Andhra Pradesh, particularly North Andhra, continues to face a significant shortage of fire stations. The state has 175 constituencies, but not all are equipped with fire stations.
According to the standing fire advisory council guidelines, there should be one fire station for every 50,000 residents, a benchmark that remains largely unmet. Andhra Pradesh currently has 190 fire stations, but their distribution is uneven.
For instance, Krishna district has the highest concentration of fire stations, whereas Araku lacks even a single station, severely hindering its emergency response capabilities. Anakapalle district has one fire engine, while Yelamanchali has another.
Meanwhile, Paravada and Achuthapuram, home to major special economic zones (SEZs), have none. Anakapalle houses six fire stations and six engines, catering to over 300 pharmaceutical companies. However, the fire department often relies on approximately 10 private fire engines set up by pharma companies. Officials have raised concern about the substandard quality of these fire engines.
In Visakhapatnam, there are eight fire engines and four fire stations, which are insufficient for its growing urban needs. Likewise, the ASR district, a forested region, has only two fire stations and two engines, leaving vast areas of the agency vulnerable to fire emergencies.
Vizianagaram district has eight stations and nine engines, while Srikakulam has 10 stations and 11 engines. Rapid urbanisation continues to drive demand for expanded fire safety infrastructure.
Experts emphasise that while the central government has committed funding for fire stations and fire engines, it is the state’s responsibility to appoint personnel and provide salaries and allowances to them for smooth operations. Without immediate action, the newly sanctioned fire stations may remain non-functional.
