The Mumbai fire brigade has decided to develop a mobile application where fire audits reports can be uploaded to keep a check on safety compliance of buildings in the city. Once ready, all buildings will have to submit their six monthly fire audit reports mandatorily on the app. “The data of all buildings will be available on this app. BMC has started the trial of the app in three administrative wards,” a senior official said. Every building in the city will be given a unique identification number for data compilation. Officials added that the buildings that are compliant will face disconnection of electricity and water supplies.Earlier, for quick response and easy access in congested areas, Mumbai Fire Brigade is all set to get 24 fire bikes for firefighting in the city.
A proposal of Rs 3.15 crore, which includes procurement, assembling, maintenance and operation of fire bikes, for the next five years, will be tabled in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). While the fire bikes will cost Rs 2.76 crore, the fire brigade will spend Rs 28.32 lakh on service and maintenance for five years. After a work order is issued, the contractor finalised for the project is supposed to supply bikes within two months. Also, two more months will be given for assembling the bikes. “Fire bikes will prove crucial as they can help in quick response when a fire breaks out. In Mumbai, fire engines often face delays due to traffic and narrow lanes when a fire is reported in slum or chawl areas. We will deploy these fire bikes in fire stations that cover densely populated areas. The first few minutes of a fire are very important as it can be prevented from spreading further if timely action is taken,” said a senior official from the fire brigade.