Delhi’s cabinet has approved the creation of a 1,050-member State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), with nearly 60 Central Armed Police Forces personnel planned for deployment in each of the capital’s 13 districts and about 300 personnel kept on standby for rapid mobilisation during emergencies.
The force is being set up to respond to building collapses, urban flooding, earthquakes and other disasters requiring specialised search-and-rescue operations, evacuation of stranded residents and the use of advanced emergency equipment, according to a report by the Times of India. An official quoted in the report said the process of establishing the force had begun after the cabinet approval.
Of the proposed strength, 90% of the personnel will be drawn from the CAPF on deputation, while the remaining 10% will be recruited directly. Recruitment rules are yet to be framed. The administration is targeting deployment of the teams within a month, and accommodation will be arranged at the district level, the official said.
The proposed equipment may include hydraulic tools to cut through or shift heavy debris, life detectors to locate survivors beneath rubble and breathing apparatus for operations in smoke-filled or oxygen-deficient conditions. Inflatable boats may also be supplied for flood rescue and evacuation. Equipment designed for collapsed-structure rescue will allow teams to work around unstable buildings while attempting to locate and extract trapped people.
The district-level deployment is intended to address the operational difficulties that emergency teams face in Delhi’s congested roads, narrow lanes, densely populated neighbourhoods and areas affected by unauthorised construction. These conditions can slow access to incident sites and delay the movement of specialised rescue equipment.
The SDRF personnel will operate under the orders of district magistrates or other competent district-level authorities and coordinate with the Delhi Fire Services, police and other emergency responders. A senior IPS officer will head the force and coordinate with government and security agencies. Periodic training will be conducted to maintain operational readiness.
The force will function under the supervision of the revenue department. A temporary headquarters will be arranged initially, while land at Alipur may be provided for a permanent headquarters. The administration has not yet announced the final recruitment rules, detailed equipment inventory or the precise locations of all district-level facilities.
Delhi already has the Delhi Disaster Management Authority, the apex body responsible for disaster planning, coordination and preparedness. The new SDRF is intended to serve a different operational role, focusing on on-ground search and rescue, evacuation and emergency response. The next stated milestone is the targeted deployment of teams within a month.
