The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Standing Committee has approved a ₹22.73-crore project for the construction of a full-fledged fire station at Chandivali, replacing the existing mini fire station. The project, which is expected to be completed within two years, also includes six-storey residential quarters for fire brigade personnel. The contract has been awarded to M.M. Enterprises, and construction is set to begin soon.
Currently, fire engines responding to emergencies in Chandivali and Saki Naka are dispatched from Marol or Vikhroli, often resulting in longer response times for rapidly developing areas such as Chandivali and Powai. To address this issue, the BMC has proposed a dedicated fire station with a built-up area of 1,271.63 square metres.
The proposed facility, located near the Lake Home project, will consist of a ground-plus-six-storey fire station building with residential accommodation for officers and staff. It will also include a ground-plus-four-storey drill tower, a pump room, overhead and underground water storage tanks, a rainwater harvesting system, and other supporting infrastructure.
The demand for a full-fledged fire station gained momentum following the devastating fire at the Lake Lucerne tower in Powai on June 6, 2015. The incident claimed seven lives and left 28 people injured, highlighting the need for stronger emergency response infrastructure in the area.
Despite the rapid rise of high-rise residential and commercial developments across Chandivali and Powai, the region has continued to rely on a mini fire station with limited facilities, no dedicated fire engines, and insufficient manpower.
Mumbai currently operates 35 fire stations. However, according to the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB), the city requires at least 60 additional stations to effectively serve its growing population and increasingly complex urban landscape.
Although land reservations for 26 new fire stations were included in the Development Plan 2014–2034, progress has been hampered by land acquisition and availability challenges. Meanwhile, Mumbai continues to record nearly 4,500 fire incidents annually, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen the city's firefighting infrastructure.