Lifespan over, MC to refabricate two fire vehicles for Rs 9 crore

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, October 14

The two hydraulic platform-cum-turntable ladder (HPTTL) vehicles of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation, which play a major role in rescue operations during fire incidents in high-rise buildings like the PGI, have completed their lifespan of 15 years and are set for refabrication.

To meet the government’s norms of phasing out 15-year-old vehicles, the fire wing of the MC proposed to buy chasis besides refabricating the vehicles at about Rs 9 crore.

“These equipment play a critical role in high-rise buildings. During the PGI fire this week, several patients were evacuated from a height through this vehicle only,” said a fire wing official.

The fire wing had purchased two HPTTL vehicles in 2005 and 2007 from Bronto Skylift, Finland, through its sole authorised dealer in India — Brijbasi Fire Safety Systems Pvt. Ltd, New Delhi — after inviting an e-tender. These vehicles have now completed their life span of more than 15 years and as per the guidelines of Government of India, such vehicles need to be auctioned as scrap.

Recently, a three-member committee consisting of the SDO (Transport) and the Station Fire Officers of Sector 17 and 32 had visited the offices of the Fire Services of Delhi, Pune and Mumbai to study the latest equipment, vehicles, practices, etc, being used there. The committee, in its report submitted in August, recommended, “…the re-mounting of superstructure of two HPTTL vehicles on new chassis should be done from the sole authorised dealer of Bronto in India, which is a precedent at the Delhi, Pune and Mumbai Fire Services.”

The firm in its representation to the civic body had stated, “…since the life of the superstructure of both the 42-metre working height units is still there (at least 10 more years), we recommend that the superstructure may be mounted on new chassis of Indian make. This will help the department in saving its old investment in these units and will also save the expense of buying a brand new unit, which can cost up to Rs 15 crore.”

The MC has proposed that at a time, one vehicle will be spared for re-mounting. The other vehicle will be spared only after satisfactory completion of the work. This way, one of the vehicles will be available to deal with any exigency.

The proposal will be taken up for approval during the MC House meeting scheduled to be held on Tuesday.