Bhiwandi: Despite a surge in warehouse fires and industrial accidents across Bhiwandi, the BNCMC Fire Department is functioning with barely one-third of its sanctioned manpower. Modern engines, rescue vans and upgraded gear lie idle not due to lack of resources, but because there are simply not enough trained firefighters to operate them. The lives of lakhs of residents and the safety of more than 50,000 warehouses now hang in the balance.

The Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation (BNCMC) Fire Department the city’s primary emergency response unit is under severe strain due to an alarming shortage of staff. The department has received new fire engines, rescue vehicles and modern equipment over the past few years, but its firefighting capacity has been badly compromised as critical posts remain vacant and recruitment has stalled for nearly a decade.

Bhiwandi city houses more than 12 lakh residents, with another 4 lakh living in surrounding rural pockets. Despite this massive population and a sprawling high-risk warehouse belt, the responsibility of handling fires and industrial accidents falls solely on the BNCMC fire brigade.

Years of halted recruitment have pushed the force to operate at a fraction of the required strength.

Official data shows that out of 160 sanctioned posts, only 49 are currently filled. Key leadership positions including Chief Fire Officer and Deputy Chief Fire Officer remain vacant, placing extraordinary pressure on in-charge officers.

To fill immediate gaps, BNCMC is even forced to use drivers from the vehicle department to operate fire tenders a practice firefighters say is unsafe and unsustainable.

The BNCMC Fire Department maintains a substantial fleet of 32 emergency vehicles, including fire engines, multipurpose engines, water browsers, mini-tenders, rescue vans and fire bikes.

However, several of these vehicles remain idle due to a shortage of trained operators. Fire bikes procured specifically to navigate narrow, congested lanes have not been deployed for more than a year.

Data from 2021 to 2024 highlights rising pressure on the already depleted force:
• 546 fire incidents in the city
• 479 fire incidents in rural areas
• 510 rescue operations in the city
• 201 rescue operations in rural areas

The rural warehouse belt poses the biggest challenge, with narrow lanes, broken roads, water scarcity and chronic congestion. Many godowns store flammable chemicals, causing fires to burn for up to two days and requiring assistance from Thane, Kalyan and Ulhasnagar brigades.

Bhiwandi’s rural region hosts more than 50,000 warehouses belonging to major national and international companies. Lakhs of workers travel daily to this logistics hub.

Since 2009, this entire belt has been under MMRDA jurisdiction, which collects crores in development charges annually. Yet, not a single fire station exists in the area.

Despite MMRDA stating in 2021 that an independent fire station had been approved, no progress has been visible in four years.

Rajesh Pawar, in-charge of the BNCMC Fire Department, said,“We have repeatedly requested the government to approve recruitment for the vacant posts. Without adequate manpower, operations become extremely difficult.”

With fire incidents rising, warehouse zones expanding and leadership posts lying vacant, Bhiwandi’s fire brigade is facing one of the gravest crises in its history. Equipment and vehicles are available but the severe shortage of trained staff has become the biggest threat to lives, property and one of Maharashtra’s largest logistics hubs.

Mumbai: MNS chief Raj Thackeray has also started opposing the Dharavi development project. Earlier, Uddhav Thackeray had opened a front against Adani, but now Raj Thackeray has also joined the ranks. Now both the brothers have united against the Adani project. The political atmosphere has heated up over the Dharavi rehabilitation project, Asia’s largest slum. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has opposed the Dharavi project. Now MNS president Raj Thackeray has also joined it. A public meeting has been organized at Kamaraj Ground on December 7. In this meeting, Raj Thackeray can take some important steps with Dharavi. Everyone’s attention is on this rally. Dharavi Bachao Samiti has organized an all-party meeting at Kamaraj School Ground on December 7. The main objective of this meeting is to raise voice against the shortcomings of the Adani Group’s survey. The committee has alleged that in the name of redevelopment, old residents were included in the survey. And the eligible residents are being ignored, due to which the eligible residents are at risk of losing their homes. The local people have organized this meeting to bring all party leaders on one platform. It is expected that the Thackeray family will be seen together in this meeting. Earlier, Aditya Phakre has also opposed this project. The Dharavi Bachao Committee has also invited Raj Thackeray in the meeting. If the two brothers unite and rise against this project, then it is a challenge for the Adani Group and the government. To change the face of Dharavi, this project has been started on a 600-acre plot of land in the middle of Mumbai. The government claims to provide better houses and facilities to the residents of this place. The contract for this complete redevelopment project has been given to a company of the Adani Group. The current plan is to provide free houses of 405 square feet to the slum dwellers.

Maharashtra: Amid rising political noise ahead of the civic body elections, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday firmly ruled out any differences between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Speaking to the media, Shinde maintained that the alliance was united and committed to contesting the upcoming polls together.

His remarks came at a time when some Sena leaders have crossed over to the BJP, sparking speculation about stress within the ruling coalition. Shinde clarified that he had raised the issue directly with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and received assurances that the situation would be corrected.

Shinde said the two partners must avoid actions that create mistrust or weaken the alliance. According to him, both sides agreed that leaders should not attempt to pull members from the other party.

“The Chief Minister agreed that this must stop. We have to contest the elections as an alliance, and there will be Lok Sabha elections after this. We must not do anything that causes misunderstandings. Each of us must follow the alliance dharma,” he said, adding that neither party would encourage corporators to switch sides.

He noted that Fadnavis had promised to speak to BJP leaders to prevent further defection attempts.

Even as top leaders attempt to restore calm, friction remains at the ground level. Elections in 246 municipal councils and 42 town panchayats were earlier scheduled for December 2. However, the State Election Commission has postponed polls in more than 20 councils due to procedural lapses and pending court matters.

In Sindhudurg, a stronghold for both the BJP and the Shinde faction, tensions escalated when the police registered a case against Nilesh Rane of the Shiv Sena. He allegedly entered the home of a BJP supporter, claiming he had discovered bags of cash meant for distribution to voters. The complaint triggered a fresh political flashpoint.

His brother, state minister Nitesh Rane of the BJP, rejected the allegations and defended local workers by saying they earn legitimate business income. He also criticised Sena workers who are supporting a rival faction candidate, stating it undermines Shinde’s previous justification for rebelling against the Uddhav Thackeray led government.

Reacting to the conflict, Fadnavis remarked that he supports people who conduct themselves properly. He admitted that the situation involving the Rane brothers was unfortunate and said the matter would be reviewed after the elections.

The political strain is not entirely new. Last month, ministers from the Shinde led Shiv Sena skipped a state cabinet meeting hours after the BJP inducted two leaders who had previously contested against Sena MLAs. The incident had raised eyebrows over the balance of power within the alliance.