Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government is modernising its Fire Department by procuring modern vehicles and equipment at a cost of ₹252.86 crore, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu said on Friday.
He stated that the Fire Department is being modernised to better protect lives and property during fire accidents and disasters.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the inauguration of 58 firefighting vehicles, valued at approximately ₹40 crore, procured using 15th Finance Commission funds.
“We are procuring modern vehicles and equipment in phases at a total cost of ₹252.86 crore, utilising funds from both the Central and State governments. In the first phase, we have already made 65 fire tenders available at a cost of ₹33 crore. Just now, we launched 58 vehicles as part of the second phase, costing ₹40 crore,” he said.
He announced that the government will soon introduce more fire tenders and firefighting equipment in the third phase.
He stated that the government is also focussing on improving infrastructure at fire stations. “We are constructing 17 new fire station buildings across the state, with an expenditure of ₹2.25 crore per building; construction on six of these has already been completed. We are also modernising another 36 fire stations. We are strengthening fire service infrastructure across the state,” he said.
The Chief Minister flagged off the fire safety vehicles on the Seed Access Road, where officials briefed him on their unique features.
Officials reported the induction of 25 advanced firefighting vehicles worth ₹18.68 crore, designed to handle emergencies in rural and forest areas by rapidly reaching accident sites and providing immediate firefighting services.
They also informed the CM that 20 water bowsers worth ₹14.79 crore have been readied to ensure a continuous water supply during major fire incidents; each bowser has a capacity of 14,000 litres and will play a crucial role in controlling fires in urban and industrial zones.
Additionally, officials revealed the introduction of 13 quick-response, multi-purpose firefighting vehicles—equipped with state-of-the-art technology and valued at ₹6.37 crore—capable of rapidly accessing narrow and congested areas.
Home Minister Anitha, Fire Services DG Venkataramana, and other senior officials participated in the event.
(IANS)
