The plan was drawn when AMC had income from octroi and it was confident of meeting the expenditure on its own

The mega plan to set up 10 more fire stations in the city remains a design even after two years since it was envisaged. An indecisive Centre and lethargic local authorities have compelled the city suffer.

While the Central government is not coming clear on the amount of funds it will give for the Rs 118-crore plan of the AMC, the civic body itself is yet to finalise the plots that can be used for setting up the new stations.

The plans, which were made during the fag end of the term of the then municipal commissioner Anil Mukim, include providing essential equipment to improve the existing fire services, besides setting up of new stations.

The plan was drawn when the AMC was full with octroi income and was confident of meeting the expenditure on its own. But the withdrawal of octroi duty, and stepping in of the National Disaster Management Authority and the Directorate General of Civil Defence in the Ministry of Home Affairs in the plan, have compelled the AMC to depend on funds from the Ministry of Finance.

However, even as the Finance Ministry granted funds to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore for improvement in fire services across the country, the amount was later decreased drastically to Rs 3,636 crore. And if this was not enough, the amount finally approved for allocation trickled down to Rs 200 crore for improvement of the fire services in all the states, said sources in the fire brigade.

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