Mysuru: The fire and emergency services department will establish new fire stations across Mysuru, Kodagu and Chamarajanagar districts, with two of them coming up in new taluks of Mysuru district.One station each will come up at Sargur and Saligrama in Mysuru, Virajpet in Kodagu, and Yelandur in Chamarajanagar district. One at Alur in Hassan was recently inaugurated. Proposals to set up stations at Mahadeshwara Hills, Yelwala and Kadakola have been sent, and the work on Kadakola station will soon start. Even a few stations have been planned, including at Bellur Cross in Mandya district.Home minister G Parameshwara, while responding to MLC Kishor Kumar Puttur’s query regarding establishment of fire stations in different taluks across Karnataka, informed the House that the govt has sanctioned 27 fire stations, two each in Mysuru and Chikkamagaluru, and one each in Hassan and Kodagu under Karnataka-State Accelerated Fire and Emergency Services Improvement Project, K-Safe 2 scheme, and nine stations, including one at Yelandur taluk in Chamarajanagar district, under 15th Finance Plan.Mysuru regional fire officer (RFO) P Chandan told TOI that, with a view to bring down fire and emergency response time, the department has planned to establish more fire stations across urban and rural areas. One project in Hassan is complete, one in Mysuru is embroiled in a land controversy, and another station’s work in Kodagu requires additional funds due to topography.Foundation for stations at Kadakola, an industrial area, and Yelandur will commence soon, and a proposal to establish one station at religious site MM Hills has been sent, said the RFO, who heads five districts: Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Kodagu and Hassan.According to fire authorities, quick response is critical for saving lives, controlling fires and reducing property damage. The recommended response time for the first fire tender is 5-7 minutes in urban areas, where population density and traffic demand faster action. In rural areas, the recommended response time is 20 minutes due to longer travel distances and scattered settlements.According to recommended norms by Standing Fire Advisory Council, one fire station should serve every 50-km radius in rural areas and every 10-km radius in urban areas. Establishing additional fire stations will help meet these standards, improve emergency coverage, strengthen public safety and ensure faster assistance during accidents, fires and other life-threatening emergencies for communities.Officials said the new stations are expected to significantly reduce response time during fire accidents and other emergencies. Faster deployment of personnel and equipment is especially important in districts with expanding towns, remote villages, forest fringes and hilly terrain, where delays can increase damage to life, property and the environment.
