The industrial cluster’s Panipat fire station project is on fire
The state government had said that it would be building an “ultra-modern” fire station in Sector 25 here, specifically for the industrial cluster, in response to the demands of the industrialists. However, the project has been dormant for more than two years.
The “Textile City”‘s industrialists had sought improved firefighting capabilities, including the establishment of a dedicated advanced fire service station for the area’s industrial sectors. Panipat is a major industrial center with more than 20,000 large and small businesses strewn around the city and its environs, employing over three lakh laborers. Sectors 29 Part-1 & Part-2 and 25 Part-1 & Part-2 are the primary industrial clusters. Additionally, a large number of industries may be found on the Samalkha, Barsat, Pasina, and Sewah roads. In 2023, there were 500 recorded fire occurrences, many of which were large-scale industrial fires.
According to Amit Kumar of the Fire Department, the fire brigade now has thirty fire tenders in total, eight of which are foam tenders and three of which are fire-fighting motorcycles for confined spaces. There are twenty regular workers and one hundred and five employees of Palika and Haryana Kaushal Rojgar Nigam (HKRN). According to sources, the department requested that the headquarters get a hydraulic platform and around twenty more fire tenders.
In 2022, the department received clearance for the construction of a state-of-the-art fire station. According to the sources, the fire department in Sector 25 has already received a two-acre parcel of land from Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP). They stated that the government has cleared the projected Rs 40 crore cost of the fire station. The Fire Department has sent the project file to the Municipal Corporation (MC).
According to Sector-29 Industrial Association President Shree Bhagwan Aggarwal, there have been many significant fire occurrences in the industry over the last two to three years. “During the first term of the BJP-led government in 2017, it was declared that the industries in this area were in dire need of a new fire station. The Fire Department in Sector 25 has also been allocated land, and the project was approved in 2022, but no work has been done on the ground, he added.
According to Ajay Chhokkar, Junior Engineer, MC, a company has been engaged to provide a comprehensive project report (DPR). According to him, the fire station’s design is practically complete. According to JE Chhokkar, the invitation to tender for building the fire station will most likely be sent out by the end of February.
Industry’s long-standing request
The “Textile City”‘s industrialists had sought improved firefighting capabilities, including the creation of a dedicated advanced fire service station for the industry. Panipat is a major industrial centre with more than 20,000 large and small businesses strewn around the city and its environs, employing over three lakh laborers.
