Mumbai: BMC Improvement Committee Rejects Versova Fire Station Plot’s Rezoning For Housing, Seeks Inquiry

Mumbai, September 11, 2026: The BMC’s proposal to scrap the fire-station reservation on a 1,143-sq-m Versova plot and rezone it for housing was rejected by the Improvement Committee, which maintained that the area urgently needs a fire station.

The committee also demanded an inquiry into the official who certified that no such facility was required, questioning the basis for the proposed change in land use.

Corporators Oppose Reservation Change

At a recent meeting of the Improvement Committee, BJP corporator Sandeep Patel demanded that the BMC scrap the proposal to remove the fire-station reservation.

Questioning who had pushed for the change, Patel said the reservation could not be surrendered at anyone’s behest, especially when fire tenders take nearly 30 minutes to reach between Ambivli and Versova.

He noted that the fire station and municipal outpost were designated essential public facilities under the 2034 Development Plan and demanded an inquiry into the move to convert the reserved plot for residential use.

ShivSena (UBT) Sachin Padwal also backed the demand to send the proposal back, stressing that the reservation was not made by mistake but was designated to meet a genuine public need.

Questioning who had authorised its removal, Padwal suggested that the power to scrap such reservations should rest with the Municipal Commissioner rather than civic officials. Following the discussion, the proposal was sent back to the administration for reconsideration.

Versova Faces Fire Response Concerns

Versova’s five lakh-plus population is served by fire stations in Irla and Goregaon, with traffic potentially delaying emergency response. Under DP 2034, 1,143 sq m is reserved for a fire station and 2,296 sq m for a municipal post, with any change requiring a formal DP modification.

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However, the BMC proposal described the fire-station reservation as a “mistake”, citing existing Andheri stations and a proposed Ambivli station. It said MHADA sought its removal in July last year, claiming DP 1991 had reserved the site only for a municipal post and that the fire-station reservation was added later.

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