The traffic department can now clear roads for fire engines and water tankers to ply smoothly so that they reach the spot within minutes.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to co-ordinate with the traffic department in an attempt to reduce fire response times by half.
The traffic department can now clear roads for fire engines and water tankers to ply smoothly so that they reach the spot within minutes.
A Standing Committee on Friday asked the civic administration to co-ordinate this new system of clearing roads after the issue was raised by the leader of the house Shailesh Phanse.
Phanse cited the example of the fire in a locker manufacturing unit at Sakinaka on Friday. It was alleged that fire brigade reached an hour late and were unable to rescue the youth trapped inside the unit. The fire claimed the lives of Shivkumar Vedprakash Tiwari, 25, and Baburao Sukdeo Jaiswal, 22, while Ramesh Tiwari, 23, was severely injured and is recuperating at Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar.
Mohan Adtani, additional municipal commissioner, vigorously defended the Standing Committee member's condemnation of the fire poor response time saying that the fire department was always prompt in their response. He cited the example of the recent Tardeo fire, the fire brigade reached the spot in eight minutes, he said.
Rahul Shewale, chairman of standing committee added that if the fire department were to intimate the traffic department, traffic jams and bottlenecks in the city in major areas could be avoided.
According to a senior fire officer, if the usual time for the fire brigade response taking traffic into account is 15-20 minutes, it could be reduced to 7-10 minutes and at times even five minutes if roads are clear.
While the traffic department aims to achieve this target to save the lives and property damage of public, motorist's co-operation on road will also be required. The passing of ambulances and fire brigade vehicles should be top priority for all those travelling on the same road.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}