The Delhi government is considering engaging former Agniveers to address manpower shortages in the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), following concerns over staffing gaps highlighted in the aftermath of the recent south Delhi fire tragedy that claimed 22 lives, according to Times of India report.
The proposal was discussed at a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Monday, chaired by V K Saxena. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Home Minister Ashish Sood, PWD Minister Parvesh Verma and senior officials attended the meeting.
The Lieutenant Governor suggested exploring the engagement of ex-Agniveers in operational firefighting roles to help fill existing vacancies in the department. "To strengthen the fire department’s workforce, suggested exploring the engagement of ex-Agniveers to address existing vacancies. Directed teams constituted last week to submit their action-taken reports (ATRs) in a time-bound manner," he said in a post on X.
Officials said the government will now work on the modalities for inducting former Agniveers, including training requirements and terms of engagement. Agniveers are recruited under the Agnipath Scheme and serve in the armed forces for four years.
The meeting also reviewed measures to strengthen fire services, improve oversight and expedite recruitment. According to officials, the DFS is grappling with a significant staffing shortfall, with 1,030 vacancies against a sanctioned strength of 3,633 posts. Of these, 552 vacancies are in the crucial fire operator category, while 312 contractual fire operators are currently deployed. Recruitment to the department was last carried out in 2011-12.
Discussions also focused on expanding fire infrastructure. The DFS currently operates 71 fire stations, including 67 regular stations and four daytime stations. A study commissioned by the Union Home Ministry in 2011 had estimated that Delhi would require 99 fire stations to adequately serve the city.
Separately, Sood proposed stricter enforcement of Section 32 of the Delhi Fire Services Act, 2007, which allows fire safety norms to be applied to all multi-storey buildings, irrespective of whether they require a fire safety certificate. At present, only buildings taller than 15 metres need a fire safety no-objection certificate from the DFS. Officials said broader enforcement could help ensure basic fire prevention measures across a larger number of buildings and improve public safety.
(With TOI inputs)
