‘70% Of Delhi Areas Are Unauthorised, Not Built Keeping Fire Safety In Mind’: Delhi Fire Chief Atul Garg – Exclusive

The devastating fire at a hotel in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar that killed 21 people and left several others battling for life at the AIIMS Trauma Centre has once again exposed the capital’s deepening fire safety crisis. The incident marks the third major fire tragedy in Delhi in just the last three months. In an exclusive conversation, Delhi Fire Service chief Atul Garg painted a grim picture of the city’s urban settlement, warning that a large part of Delhi itself is structurally vulnerable to such disasters. “I have said it time and again that 70 per cent of areas in Delhi are not authorised. There are lal dora areas, extended lal dora and many such settlements,” Garg said. Explaining the challenges firefighters face during emergencies, he added, “Quite often there is no space to take the fire truck inside. It has to be parked at a distance. There is no proper water source available in many places.” Without directly criticising policy makers, Garg stressed that the problem goes far beyond the fire department’s mandate. “My job is to save lives. I am nobody to comment on the settlement of Delhi. That is something lawmakers and the government will have to decide,” he said, carefully refraining from entering the political debate around unauthorised colonies and urban planning failures. The Delhi Fire chief also revealed the alarming scale of fire-related emergencies in the national capital. “I get 255 calls every day. Fire incidents are a common occurrence every summer in Delhi,” he said. His remarks underline a troubling reality: while Delhi continues to expand rapidly, large parts of the city remain dangerously unprepared for fire disasters. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Delhi, Delhi Weather & AQI and around the world. Read more