Fire and Emergency Services Department seeks allotment of land from District Administration, Mysuru Development Authority

Mysore/Mysuru: The City of Palaces Mysuru has been sanctioned with two more Fire Stations and the Fire and Emergency Services Department has submitted a proposal to the District Administration and Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) seeking allotment of suitable sites.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in the previous budget 2024-25 had announced to set up Fire Stations in various districts of the State including Mysuru and the funds has been earmarked for the same. For the two Fire Stations in Mysuru, the sites have been identified near Chamundi Hill Road and T. Narasipur Road.

The city alone has three Fire Stations — one each at Saraswathipuram, Bannimantap and Hebbal. The Fire Station at Hebbal was established a decade ago, since when no new Fire Stations were established in the city. That apart, every seven taluks in the district have got one Fire Station each. The two more Fire Stations for the city, will be taking the total facility to five, once they                                                      are commissioned.

With Mysuru being the second city after Bengaluru, witnessing a rapid urbanisation with the surge in number of sky scrapers irrespective of residential and commercial buildings, apartments and other multi-storeyed buildings, the existing Fire Stations alone cannot handle the exigency at time. The increasing vehicular traffic and other traffic congestions come in the way of fast movement of fire tenders in reaching the affected spots. But still, the fire personnel have been mitigating the challenges and combating fire, averting what could have led to amajor tragedy.

Following the budgetary announcement, Fire Department officials inspected the availability of Government land at Chamundi foothill,  Outer Ring Road (ORR), T. Narasipur Road, Lalithadripura and Bandipalya.

Among them, the land near Dr. Rajashekar Hospital on T. Narasipur Road has been finalised and the officials have discussed the matter with Tahsildar of Mysuru taluk in this regard. The land is expected to be handed over to Fire Department soon.

Similarly, the land has been identified on Chamundi Hill Road and the matter has been brought to the notice of Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) officials. The MDA officials are set to inspect the land, it is said.

The Fire Station near Chamundi Hill is crucial, especially when fire mishaps occur at the forested area encompassing the hill. Recently, a major fire erupted in the hill forest and a major extent of forest land was gutted in the incident.

Acting Chief Fire Officer Chandan said, “The land has been identified on Chamundi Hill Road and T. Narasipur Road and the works on building the new Fire Stations are expected to start, after the lands are handed over to the Department.”

MDA Commissioner K.R. Rakshith clarified that no Civic Amenities (CA) site is available on Chamundi Hill Road. Instead, a land has been identified at Nachanahalli Palya. A decision in this regard shall be taken at the Sub-Committee meeting.