 ANKIT KESSAR
EARLY TIMES REPORT
RAJOURI, Feb 6: The congested roads in old Rajouri town as well as other adjoining areas are proving to be big impediments for the Fire and Emergency Services to initiate immediate rescue operations during any fire incident, which lead to a huge disaster.
In 2020 around twenty fire incidents were reported in Old Rajouri town, Court Area, Jawahar Nagar, Kheora and GMC Rajouri area. These areas are highly congested due to which the fire tenders find it difficult to reach easily.
"The fire tenders can't enter into these congested areas which lead to delay in initiating the rescue operation and ultimately huge damage is witnessed in such incidents," the locals alleged.
They said that the width of roads has shrunk due to display stalls in front of the shops in such areas, particularly in old Rajouri town.
Not only this, even the electricity wires of PDD can be seen hanging low creating problems for vehicles to pass through it due to which the fire tenders have to lay long water pipes, which take a lot of time. Moreover during day time, there is a huge traffic jam in these areas, they said.
The locals alleged that no awareness campaign has been organised by the administration for the residents living in these areas to sensitize them to make smooth passage for the vehicles of Fire and Emergency Services Department. "The fire incidents are reported most of the time from these areas," they added.
"One of the reasons for fire breaking out in these areas is fire-wood which is collected by the people in their houses, and accidentally or negligently, it catches fire. The Government Treasury Rajouri was gutted in a fire incident as the fire tenders couldn't reach there as the lanes leading to the building were too narrow and congested. The firemen had to lay down a water pipe from a long distance to extinguish the fire."
When Early Times contacted the Station Officer of District Fire HQ Rajouri Maqbool Raina, he admitted that they face tough time to enter into such areas for initiating rescue operations due to congested roads.
He further said that a former Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri Dr Shahid Iqbal had launched a drive to create space in the market by urging shopkeepers to leave the front space of shops free for smooth passage of the vehicles but after his transfer things are back to square one. |
