33 realtors buy fire fighting vehicles for Thane townships

Over 33 real estate developers with upcoming projects that measure upto 10 lakh sq foot and above will provide 33 fire bowser-cum-hydrant vehicles to the TMC this year. This comes after the civic body made it mandatory for developers with big housing projects in Thane to provide the vehicle to get OC (occupancy certificate).

Thane have become a preferred choice of many home buyers and though there is an increase in the number of population, the city’s infrastructure is yet to catch up with it. Big housing complexes and societies too have come up on Ghodbunder road.

However, Thane when it comes to fire related emergencies, it is difficult even for a fire brigade to reach the length and breadth of the city due to poor infrastructure.

The TMC (Thane Municipal Corporation) sent a proposal to the state government’s high-rise committee in 2017, according to which the high rises coming up in 10 lakh square metre and above should have their own water bowser-cum-hydrant vehicle. Otherwise such complexes will not get an OC. In July 2018, the committee approved the proposal thereby making it mandatory for real estate developers to provide these vehicles.

“Till now over 33 developers have agreed to provide these fire fighting vehicles which will be stationed in their housing complexes,” said Pramod Nimbalkar, executive engineer, town planning department, TMC. “Some of these developers are Hiranandani, Kalpataru, Rustomjee and Lodha,” he said.

While the residents will pay for the upkeep and maintenance of these vehicles, they will be operated by the TMC’s fire brigade. “Our fire brigade team does not have to veer their vehicles through the traffic. It can also attend to fire emergencies faster,” said a senior TMC official on conditions of anonymity.

As Thane now has an FSI (floor space index) of four, almost 30-40 per cent of big housing projects coming up have to include these vehicles. The TMC has six fire stations and eight more are in the pipeline.

TMC guideline

TMC (Thane Municipal Corporation) sent a proposal to the state government’s high-rise committee in 2017, according to which the high rises coming up in 10 lakh square metre and above should have their own water bowser-cum-hydrant vehicle.