The Delhi government has sought suggestions from the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) and the National Disaster Response Force for establishing its own State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), an official aware of the matter said on Wednesday.
According to the official, one of the key proposals under consideration is the induction of retired NDRF personnel into the new force, as they have experience in handling earthquakes, floods, building collapses, fires, and other emergencies, and can help Delhi develop a trained disaster-response cadre instead of starting from scratch.
Consultations are underway with disaster management experts and agencies, including the NIDM and the NDRF, to finalise the structure, manpower, and operational framework of the proposed force, the official added.
The NDRF trains state disaster-response units across the country and has developed standardised operating procedures.
The proposal comes amid growing concerns over Delhi’s vulnerability to both natural and man-made disasters, as it falls within the high-risk Seismic Zone IV and has witnessed recurring monsoon floods, fire incidents, and building collapses.
The government is also studying the functioning of SDRFs in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
Besides search-and-rescue operations, the SDRF could assist in preparedness exercises, disaster-risk assessments, community awareness programmes and emergency planning.
According to the official, the objective is to create a permanent, locally available force capable of responding rapidly to emergencies rather than relying solely on external deployments.
During the previous Aam Aadmi Party government, the Revenue Department had drawn up a proposal to raise the SDRF, citing Uttarakhand’s SDRF, which helped in the Silkyara Tunnel rescue.
