ગુજરાતી
English
Ahmedabad, 17/03/2026
Over the past two years, the electricity bill for the residential quarters, offices, and other facilities constructed for the staff and officers of the Ahmedabad Fire Brigade has amounted to ₹2 crore. Across 7 of the 19 fire stations, the total number of residential quarters ranges between 100 and 150.
The electricity bills incurred for consumption within the homes of firemen—residing in firemen’s quarters—and officers—residing in officers’ quarters—are paid directly from the city government’s treasury. Consequently, this places an undue financial burden on the public exchequer.
According to information sought by former Congress Councilor Nirav Bakshi:
In the year 2024-25, the electricity bill for the residential quarters across the 19 fire stations totaled ₹1,82,14,000.
The electricity bill for general utility purposes amounted to ₹64,52,261.
In the year 2015-26, the electricity bill for the residential quarters across the 19 fire stations stood at ₹1,64,01,402.
The electricity bill for general utility purposes was ₹58,59,451.
Thus, the cumulative electricity bill for this two-year period has reached ₹4.50 crore.
The fact that the electricity bills for the homes of firemen and drivers—who reside in the Fire Brigade quarters—are higher than those of the officers living in the same complex warrants a thorough investigation.
A proper vigilance inquiry should be conducted to ascertain exactly what kind of electrical appliances are being utilized by the firemen and drivers in their quarters, and to verify whether they are authorized to use such equipment.
Given the current levels of electricity consumption and the resulting bills, there is a distinct lack of specific policies or regulations governing electricity usage within the Fire Brigade quarters. It has, therefore, become imperative to formulate such rules. In the year 2024-25, the fire stations located in Navrangpura, Thaltej, Nikol, Shahpur, Prahladnagar, and Nikol recorded the highest electricity bills. In the year 2025-26, the electricity bills for the Navrangpura, Maninagar, Thaltej, and Nikol fire stations were the highest.
Recruitment scams and equipment procurement scams are currently taking place within the Fire Brigade.
Staff Strength:
Approximately 560 employees.
The sanctioned strength stands at 800 posts, of which 250 to 300 posts remain vacant.
In 2025-26, the AMC plans to recruit between 110 and 200 new staff members.
Staff Quarters:
Staff quarters were constructed at the Naroda GIDC Fire Station; however, they remained underutilized for an extended period.
Staff quarters at the Sabarmati Fire Station are limited in number.
At the Maninagar Fire Station, the existing quarters are currently being utilized below their full capacity. Stations located in the Navrangpura/Paldi areas have a limited number of quarters designated for officers.
Most stations situated in newer localities—such as Bopal, Chandkheda, Vatva, and Odhav—do not have staff quarters.
There are a total of 25 fire stations, of which only 7 are equipped with staff quarters.
The total number of available quarters ranges approximately between 100 and 150.
Many of these quarters are old and in a dilapidated condition. There is an insufficient number of quarters to accommodate both the existing staff and newly recruited personnel. Furthermore, while quarters do exist in certain locations, they are not currently being utilized.
Expenditure:
The total expenditure across all categories of fire stations has increased threefold to fourfold over the span of 10 years. The Fire Department’s share of the AMC’s total budget typically falls within the range of 1% to 2%.
Approximately ₹200–400 crore is spent annually on the Fire Department. In 2015, this expenditure stood at approximately ₹100 crore; by 2026, it was projected to reach ₹400–500 crore. Estimated Expenditure of the Fire Department (in Crores)
2015–16: 80–120
2016–17: 100–130 (Gradual increase)
2017–18: 120–150 (Increase in vehicles/equipment)
2018–19: 130–160 (Stable phase)
2019–20: 150–180 (Impact of city expansion)
2020–21: 160–200 (Maintenance continued even during COVID)
2021–22: 180–220 (Focus on infrastructure)
2022–23: 200–250 (New stations planned)
2023–24: 220–300 (Modernization initiated)
2024–25: 250–350 (Recruitment + Equipment)
2025–26: 300–400 (Major projects)
2026–27: 350–500 (Major expansion—15 stations)
For the year 2025–26, the estimated budget for the Fire Department in Surat is ₹250 crore. The sanctioned strength of personnel is 1,050, while the current staff count stands at approximately 900.
