Delhi Fire Services has urged the Delhi government to urgently increase manpower
May 16, 2026: Delhi Fire Services has requested the Delhi government to urgently increase staffing levels, citing a severe shortage of more than 6,600 personnel. According to official documents, the department currently has around 2,500 personnel against a required strength of 9,123, resulting in a shortage of over 72.5%. The proposal submitted to the state home department highlighted that firefighters are presently working 24-hour shifts, while the Fire Safety Council recommends an 8-hour shift system to reduce fatigue and improve efficiency.
Chief Fire Officer AK Malik confirmed that the proposal had been submitted. A senior fire department official said the ideal eight-hour shift system would require significantly higher manpower, but emergency services are currently functioning under a stretched system because operations cannot stop. Delhi Home Minister Ashish Sood said the government is working on a 25-year firefighting master plan and assured that manpower, machinery and infrastructure needs would be addressed in the coming years. Delhi currently operates 71 fire stations, while 120 stations have been sanctioned, with 49 yet to be constructed.
Officials said the manpower shortage affects emergency response management, inspections, equipment maintenance, training schedules and deployment during large-scale fires. The department noted that if the recommended 8-hour shift model is implemented, the required manpower would rise to over 27,000 personnel. Fire officials also pointed to rapid urban expansion, congested neighbourhoods, narrow roads, encroachments and illegal parking as major obstacles for fire tenders during emergencies. They warned that increasing staff strength is necessary to improve response time, reduce exhaustion among firefighters and strengthen preparedness during peak summer months when fire incidents rise sharply across Delhi.