The government of Bihar has made a significant move towards enhancing the safety of big cities by approving a budget of 1.23 crore to install fire hydrants in 11 major areas within Patna to turn the state capital into a fire-safe city. The project will greatly enhance the fire preparedness in the city and minimize the destruction attributed to the occurrence of constant fire incidents.
The move was made, according to the authorities, considering frequent fire tragedies in highly populated areas, business centres, hospitals, and educational institutions in Patna. The teams of fire departments have many challenges experienced because of the non-availability of water sources to be used easily, and therefore, the fire is not contained within the required time. This is a longstanding problem that is supposed to be resolved by the new hydrant network.
The new fire hydrants will be set at the strategic points that are deemed high risks under the project based on large population density, lanes and previous occurrence of fire outbreaks. These hydrants will be directly linked to the water supply system, and this will allow the fire tenders to access water instantly in case of any emergency without relying on water tankers.
The officials indicated that the 11 areas chosen are busy areas within residential colonies, markets, and key institutional zones where response time is paramount. These points were identified, having been determined with critical consideration by the fire services department, with consideration of fire vulnerability and approachability by emergency vehicles.
According to senior officers of the fire and disaster management department, the presence of hydrants will significantly cut down the response time as well as aid in the containment of fires at an early stage. The most important thing in firefighting is the timely availability of water. According to one of the officials, this project will increase our ability to save lives and property.
The project is also related to the overall concern of the state government about improving the urban infrastructure and disaster management systems. Due to the high rate of urbanization and the growing high-rise constructions in Patna, professionals have insisted on having permanent fire safety systems instead of interim ones.
Besides being installed, the authorities have stressed the regular maintenance and monitoring of hydrants so that they are always operational. Fire personnel will also be trained on how to effectively use the new system in an emergency operation.
The move has been well received by the residents, who term it as a long-overdue action to a city that has experienced a number of destructive fires over the past few years. It is believed that the project will help Patna be more like any other metropolitan area that has fire-safe cities.
According to officials, in case the hydrant project is a success, other major cities in Bihar can be provided with a similar type of fire-safety measures. The government has again reaffirmed its interest in making the safety of the people its first priority and reinforcing the emergency response systems in the state.
