The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) faces a severe manpower crunch, with critical vacancies in supervisory and frontline roles causing staff overload and compromising fire safety across the capital, according to DFS data.
Against a sanctioned strength of 90, DFS currently has only 25 station officers, leaving 65 key positions vacant. (Photo for representation)
Data shows that the agency currently has only 18 assistant divisional officers (ADOs) against a sanctioned strength of 24. These officers are tasked with conducting fire safety inspections and compliance checks at over 5,000 establishments — including restaurants, clubs, hotels, hospitals and commercial complexes — across the capital.
An ADO, requesting anonymity, said: “We review at least three to four establishments almost daily. Each inspection takes about two-three hours. At times, the ADOs are also tasked with handling court visits for Right to Information (RTI) cases,” the officer said.
The situation is far more grim at the level of station officers, who serve as first responders during fire incidents, and supervise on-ground operations. Against a sanctioned strength of 90, DFS currently has only 25 station officers, leaving 65 key positions vacant.
“We try to ensure the shortage doesn’t impact response time, but sometimes it does. The shortage also affects command and controlduring emergencies and the department’s ability to handle multiple incidents simultaneously,” said a station officer posted in western part of the city.
The staff crunch has come under renewed scrutiny following a tragic fire in Goa in December 2025, prompting DFS to conduct special inspection drives across Delhi. DFS teams reviewed over 90 restaurants and clubs across the city to assess compliance with fire safety norms and identify potential hazards.
The officials involved in the drive said several establishments were found lacking basic safety measures, such as functional fire-fighting equipment, clear exit routes and proper evacuation plans. However, sustained monitoring and enforcement remain a challenge due to limited manpower, they added.
“We could carry out more surprise inspections if we had more officers. Twenty-five assistant divisional officers are not enough. There is a dire need to increase the strength,” another ADO said.
Fire safety experts said the manpower gap is worrying for a densely-populated city like Delhi, where regular fire safety inspections are a necessity.
AK Bhatnagar, who retired as divisional officer in 2009, said: “Delhi is growing by the day. The urban space is taking over the rural space. More hospitals and commercial complexes are coming up. Most of them have elevators and staircases, making them liable to obtain a no objection certification (NOC) from the fire department. However, the number of officers who carry out inspections has remained the same for quite some time now. Timely hiring and promotions are the need of the hour,” Bhatnagar said.
Deputy chief fire officer AK Malik could not be reached for a comment.