Focal Point fire station faces structural decay, claims Bassi
Serious concerns have been raised over the condition of the fire station at Focal Point in Amritsar. The building is reportedly in a dilapidated state and lacks basic amenities for personnel deployed there round the clock.
Dinesh Bassi, former chairman of the Amritsar Improvement Trust and a senior Congress leader, visited the site and highlighted the issues faced by the staff. According to available information, deep cracks have developed in the walls of the fire station, while concrete is peeling off the roof. During rainfall, water seeps into the office, flooding rooms and creating hazardous working conditions.
“Firefighters, who are tasked with saving lives and property, are themselves compelled to function from an unsafe structure. There is no proper toilet facility or access to clean drinking water. During the monsoon season, sewage water enters the office premises, further compounding health risks. Snakes have also been spotted within the premises. Fire brigade vehicles are parked in the open without a protective shed, exposing them to damage due to weather conditions,” Bassi said.
He added that leaking water from the roof has heightened fears of short circuits, as electric wires and switchboards remain exposed to moisture. “There is a constant risk of electrocution or a major accident,” he said.
The station was inaugurated on September 16, 2023, by MLA Jeevan Jyot Kaur and was projected as a major achievement at the time. However, staff members claim that little attention has been paid to their safety and basic facilities since its inauguration.
Bassi said Rs 1.83 crore had been sanctioned for the building and demanded a high-level probe into the utilisation of funds. He also alleged that promises to regularise contractual employees ahead of the Assembly elections have not been fulfilled. He demanded immediate repairs, implementation of the principle of “equal pay for equal work,” and regularisation of staff, warning of a strong agitation if corrective steps are not taken soon.
