Ahmedabad’s Prahladnagar fire station has been without electricity for more than 140 hours after a pending bill of Rs 3.67 lakh led to its power connection being disconnected, according to a report by Gujarat Samachar. The outage has affected the station’s garage, washrooms and water pump, raising concerns about the functioning of an emergency response facility.
The report said the electricity supply was cut after bills remained unpaid for an estimated one and a half to two years. The problem is linked to an officer’s quarter on the fire station premises, which former station officer Mehul Gadhvi has allegedly not vacated despite being removed from service.
With the power disconnected, the garage remains dark at night and the water pump is not functioning normally, the report said. These facilities are directly connected to the daily operation of the fire station, including the movement and maintenance of fire engines and access to water and sanitation services.
Gadhvi was removed from service after an investigation into the alleged submission of a fake National Fire Service College degree to obtain employment, according to the report. Despite notices from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, he has not vacated the officer’s quarter. The report said he left for his native place after the electricity was disconnected, while his belongings remain inside the quarter.
The case has also affected the allocation of municipal accommodation. Five to seven fire officers who became eligible for officer quarters after receiving promotions are reportedly still living in smaller staff quarters because the accommodation has not been vacated. The situation has created a mismatch between eligibility for official housing and actual access to the limited residential facilities attached to fire stations.
Gujarat Samachar reported that the Prahladnagar case is not isolated. Quarters at other fire stations are also allegedly occupied by former officers and employees who have been removed from service but have not vacated the premises. The report named facilities in Maninagar, Naroda, Jamalpur, Shahpur and Navrangpura in connection with such pending occupations.
The municipal corporation’s inability to recover the quarter, collect the outstanding electricity bill and restore services at an emergency facility has brought its estate-management and enforcement process under scrutiny. The report said the corporation must now take action to recover the pending electricity and house-rent dues, secure the quarter and restore normal functioning at the Prahladnagar fire station.
