Mumbai to have its own disaster response team

Mumbai: Six months after declaring that Mumbai will have an exclusive Disaster Response Force (CDRF) on the lines of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now begun training of 200 men recruited last year. In August last year, The Asian Age had reported that BMC plans to recruit around 500 men, and train them to reduce the response time in case of any calamity in the city. The decision to form CDRF was taken in August 2016, when Lieutenant General N.C. Marwah, who is also a member of the National Disaster Management Agency, visited the civic disaster management room at the BMC headquarters.

Following Mr Marwah’s visit, Additional Municipal Commissioner I.A. Kundan had said that the training of personnel began immediately. The men were recruited from the security personnel employed with the BMC and were trained by the NDRF.

Three months after Mr Marwah visit, Ms Kundan had maintained that training of the personnel was underway at the Andheri Sports Complex. As the BMC had not planned to hire new staff, Ms Kundan had said that no time was wasted in recruiting men, and training in disaster response for incidents such as a fire, building collapse, floods, earthquake, and a threat to national security was being given to the staff.

However, on Tuesday, a BMC spokesperson said Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta has finally given his nod to form the CDRF. The spokesperson added that the BMC will now begin training of the men recruited to form the CDRF. Due to the CDRF, response time to a disaster will be reduced, as the team will be stationed within the city.