Delhi's fire response in time warp: 2 radio channels, 1969-era communication system

NEW DELHI: Delhi govt has flagged serious shortcomings in the communication network of Delhi Fire Service (DFS), revealing that the department continues to operate on a wireless communication architecture introduced more than five decades ago for a city with just 17 fire stations, even though the capital has expanded to 71 stations and a vastly larger urban landscape.

The gaps were highlighted during an internal review meeting chaired by Delhi home minister Ashish Sood following the recent Hauz Rani fire, which claimed 21 lives. During the meeting, officials assessed the preparedness of the fire service and the effectiveness of its communication systems, with Sood saying the existing network could no longer meet present-day operational requirements.

According to official documents, DFS introduced its wireless communication system in 1969 using two Very High Frequency (VHF) frequencies — 148.525 MHz and 148.725 MHz — along with GM 300 and GP 328 wireless sets.

“Since then, no revamp or upgrade of the wireless frequencies and communication system has been carried out. However, the wireless sets were upgraded from time to time and, currently, Delhi Fire Service is using Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) sets,” the document stated.

Officials said the system has failed to keep pace with Delhi’s rapid growth. While the number of fire stations has increased over four-fold, the city has also seen a sharp rise in high-rise buildings, dense urban clusters, underground spaces and large commercial complexes.

The review found that the existing network has exceeded its intended capacity. It noted that VHF communication relies heavily on line of sight, meaning radio signals work best when there is a clear path between transmission points.

In a dense urban environment, buildings and underground structures can obstruct signals and create coverage gaps, affecting communication between the fire control room, fire stations, field units and firefighters at incident sites.

Officials said these shortcomings can hamper emergency response, a concern that has become more significant as Delhi continues to record dozens of fire-related deaths every year.

The issue was thrown into sharp relief during Wednesday's Hauz Rani blaze, where firefighters responding to the emergency said their first battle was not with the flames but with Delhi's traffic. Fire tenders had to navigate rush-hour gridlock, motorists reluctant to give way, narrow lanes clogged with parked vehicles and a maze of overhead wires before reaching the site.

Firemen who responded to the incident told TOI that the delays highlighted the challenges of mounting a swift rescue operation in a rapidly expanding and densely built city, reinforcing the need for faster coordination, communication and deployment systems.

Delhi Fire Service data shows that 100 people died and 843 were injured in 2019-20. Fatalities fell to 41 in 2020-21 and 55 in 2021-22 before rising to 95 in 2022-23. The toll stood at 77 in 2023-24, 90 in 2024-25 and 84 in 2025-26.

“We have done the tender (for the revamp) and the best technology will be used for saving the lives of people of Delhi,” Sood said.

“The city has grown many times over in the past decades. New areas came up, population increased and large-scale construction happened, but modernisation of the fire department did not keep pace,” he said.

The proposed modernisation plan includes enhanced communications, real-time operational monitoring and intelligent dispatch systems.

The new system will integrate GPS, GIS and surveillance cameras, enabling real-time tracking of fire tenders and automatic dispatch of the nearest available unit. It will also analyse traffic conditions to improve routing and deployment during emergencies.

Officials said the upgraded network will provide seamless communication between all stakeholders, continuous monitoring of fire safety equipment and a high-frequency communication channel designed to function in high-rises and underground basements, even during localised blackouts.

‘First fight wasn’t with blaze, it was with traffic’
The challenges described in the review were echoed by firefighters who responded to the Hauz Rani tragedy. As fire tenders rushed to the bed-and-breakfast on Wednesday morning, they first had to battle rush-hour traffic.

The crews encountered gridlock at multiple intersections, motorists who refused to yield and narrow lanes near the building clogged with parked vehicles and onlookers' cars. Overhead electrical wires further complicated efforts to position the fire engines close to the burning structure.

For Surender Singh (47) and Kamal Dagar (36), drivers posted at Bhikaji Cama Place fire station, the chaotic journey underscored how crucial every minute is during an emergency.

“Whenever we encountered traffic congestion, the officer in charge leaned out and urged motorists to make way, shouting that it was an emergency,” Dagar told TOI. “The siren and beacon lights were on, and we kept pleading with drivers to give us space.”

Singh said: “In every call, there is pressure, and that day was no different. We had to reach the site as quickly as possible. At times, motorists fail to follow rules. The equation is simple. The quicker we reach, the more lives we save.”