Taxes gut Mumbai’s firefighting plans

Amid the rising fire incidents in the city, the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) has come up with an ambitious plan to procure new tech to strengthen its fleet. However, the plan has hit a blazing roadblock of steep customs and GST hurdles.

The MFB has urged the department of telecommunications (DoT) and Union finance ministry for giving concession on spectrum charges and custom duty waiver on imported firefighting equipment, respectively. The BMC has to pay 30 per cent customs levies on the actual cost of imported new fire tech along with spectrum charges of Rs 50 lakh per annum for wireless communications.

About 30 per cent custom duty is levied on the new fire fighting trucks and fire engines landing in India from abroad. Elaborating the issue, MFB technical advisor Rajendra Chaudhary said, “We were trying to get relaxation in duty from the last three years. When duty was made applicable for firefighting vehicles, we approached the revenue department. We had requested to get an exemption in duty under the Custom act section 25 (2) which waives tax on goods imported in the larger interest of public safety. However, the request was not accepted.”

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a fire brigade official said, “Vertical growth of Mumbai with the city's skyline dotted with high-rise buildings and skyscrapers desperately needs fire fighting tech to be able to reach the higher floors fast. With frequent fires in buildings, we have planned to strengthen the fire brigade with new tech.”

Mumbai has 35 fire stations and 18 mini fire stations under six fire command centers with 258 fire vehicles like fire engines, jumbo water tankers and ladder vans. There are over 2,500 officers and firefighters in the MFB. Apart from dispensing regular fire-fighting duties, the officials have additional tasks, which include carrying out fire audits in private buildings, malls, multiplexes, and hospitals.

MFB wants to enhance capacity by introducing new vehicles like fire bikes, hazmat vans and drones. Termed as pride of the MFB, the ‘big daddy’ ladder is 16.5-meter long, 4.15-meter high and 2.55-meter wide, with over 50 tonne weight. The Mercedes-Benz Actros 6260 equipped with a 90-meter hydraulic platform made by Finland- based company, Bronto Skylift, is the first highrise fire ladder in India to be pressed into a government fire-fighting andrescue organisation.

“Spectrum charges for walkie-talkie systems used by fire brigades is high while customs duty is also levied heavily on new vehicles entering the fleet,” said another senior fire brigade official requesting anonymity.

The MFB wish list includes 22 quick response multi-purpose vehicles fitted with a water mist fire fighting system and 14 firefightingcum-rescue vehicles, breathing apparatus sets and a foam tank. The new vehicles will be stationed at mini fire stations for a quicker response especially in case of fire reported in slums or congested areas.

(With inputs from Shefali-Parab Pandit)

Published on: Tuesday, August 02, 2022, 08:39 AM IST