Teen Nal Chowk Abuzz with Mock Drill as NMC Targets Congested Areas Amid Surge in Fire Calls

Nagpur: The congested Teen Nal Chowk in Itwari buzzed with flashing sirens, simulated smoke, and firefighters springing into action on Wednesday morning. However, there was no real blaze, and the scene was part of a mock drill conducted by the Fire and Emergency Services Department of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).

Organised as part of Fire Service Safety Week (April 14–20), the drill aimed to raise awareness about fire preparedness in densely populated urban areas.

The urgency of this campaign is clear as the department responded to 374 fire calls in just 104 days — from January 1 to April 15 this year — averaging more than three incidents a day. The NMC is ramping up preparedness and community outreach, especially in high-risk areas like Itwari, under the leadership of the officiating chief fire officer BP Chandankhede and Civil Lines station officer Tushar Barahate,

Itwari's narrow lanes and crowded layout have historically made it vulnerable to fire disasters. In the past, several shops and warehouses in the area have been gutted, causing significant losses. Teen Nal Chowk was strategically selected for the drill to simulate firefighting in high-pressure, real-time urban conditions.

The mock drill was led by Ganjipeth station officer Prakash Kawadkar, with a team including Leading Fireman Nipul Rathod and Firemen Roshan Bayaskar and Prasad Tayade. They demonstrated techniques for navigating narrow passages, rapid response, and crowd control during emergencies.

Earlier the same day, personnel from the Gandhibagh fire station conducted another drill at Gandhi Sagar Balodyan. Firefighters engaged with locals through live demonstrations of equipment and shared essential fire safety tips.

On April 15, officials from the Narendra Nagar fire station carried out a mock drill at the high-security Sonegaon Air Force premises.

Meanwhile, the Sugat Nagar fire station extended its outreach to residential areas by organising a public awareness program at Dhammapriya Buddha Vihar in Kalpana Nagar, near Power Grid Chowk.

With the summer heat increasing the risk of fires across the city, NMC officials confirmed that more drills are planned throughout the week. The initiative aims to ensure that both citizens and institutions are better equipped to handle fire emergencies, particularly in densely populated areas like Itwari.