The Delhi government will operationalise 24 quick response vehicles (QRVs) at fire vulnerable locations across the city on Wednesday, with another 26 units expected to be added in a second phase, senior officials said.
They added that the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) faces serious challenges in ensuring timely response due to the Capital’s dense population and heavy traffic—issues these units are designed to address.
“Heavy traffic, especially during peak hours, often delays fire tenders from reaching a blaze. High population density, particularly in slum clusters and older, tightly built neighbourhoods, makes it difficult for large fire trucks to manoeuvre and access affected spots. These smaller vehicles are equipped with an advanced ultra high-pressure pump extinguishing system and the latest technologies integrated into compact XL6 vehicles, greatly improving DFS’s ability to handle urban emergencies,” an official explained.
The cost of procuring the first batch of vehicles was about ₹8.61 crore. “For Phase 2, tenders for 26 more vehicles have been issued, and proposals for 50 QRVs under Phase 3 are being prepared,” officials said.
The government has earmarked 24 deployment sites across Delhi based on high fire-incident trends and poor accessibility in congested areas. Locations include Janakpuri, Najafgarh, Mehrauli, Vasant Kunj, IGNOU, Dera Gaon, Ghitorni Metro Station, Rohini Sector-16, Jahangirpuri, Roop Nagar, SGTN, Sawroop Nagar, Mathura Road, Lajpat Nagar, Central Market, and Shastri Park, among others.