Ministers invite Arunachal CM to mega religious fair

53 fire stations and 26 fire posts established across the venue with an aim to reach any fire incident site within three minutes

- Rajeev Mullick

PRAYAGRAJ: Equipped with lightweight robots in their backpacks and heavy bikes modified to aid in rescue and relief works, firefighters stationed in each of the 25 sectors of the Mahakumbh Mela venue would be required to respond to emergency situations within two to three minutes of them being reported, a senior fire officer said.

As 400 million devotees are expected to take part in the spiritual grandeur of the upcoming mega religious fair, the venue of which is spread over 4,000 hectares, that will last for 45 days, ensuring their safety remains a top priority for authorities. QRVs finds it difficult to reach a location, we will rush motorbikes fitted with water mist system there."

"Our last option will be to rush firefighters with backpacks who will leave their bikes aside and head towards the site where a fire has broken out. This is the first time we are deploying firefighting robots to tackle fire emergencies. These robots are capable of climbing stairs and extinguishing fire with precision," a post by the official account of Maha Kumbh on X read. Superintendent of police (Kumbh) Rajesh Dwivedi said.

"The fire department has established 53 fire stations and 26 fire posts across the venue, aiming to reach any fire incident site within three minutes. We have set up many fire hydrants, and trained firemen how to tackle a situation if fire catches in lithium battery."

"Also, AI-powered fire detection cameras will be used to monitor potential fire outbreaks," said Kumbh additional district magistrate (ADM) Vivek Chaturvedi.

With the potential risks posed by temporary structures, electrical setups, and cooking areas, the fire department has deployed modern technologies and a specialized team to safeguard the event from fire hazards.