UP to set up NDRF-style rescue force in 10 districts; 240 personnel to be trained

Lucknow ( Vivek Ojha) : Uttar Pradesh will soon have a rescue force built on the lines of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to deal with complex emergency situations, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday.

The specialised rescue group (SRG) will initially be established in 10 districts, with 240 personnel being trained by NDRF, BSF, ITBP, CISF and other expert institutions, according to the state government.

The SRG will be equipped to handle challenging rescue operations involving building collapses, floods, chemical accidents, high-rise rescues and operations in confined spaces, it said.

The chief minister, who reviewed the Fire and Emergency Services department work, said the state’s rapidly expanding urbanisation, industrial growth and investment activities required a bolstered emergency response system.

Fire services are no longer limited to extinguishing fires. They are now linked with the protection of people’s lives, property, industries and investments,” Adityanath said.It was said in the meeting that out of 350 tehsils of UP, 296 at present have 326 permanent fire stations, 26 new fire stations are ready for inauguration, while construction of 25 others is underway.

Officials said the state plans to procure 10 hydraulic platforms with a capacity of 102 metres, three with a capacity of 90 metres, and seven with a capacity of 72 metres in FY 2026-27. The department also plans to purchase 14 advanced firefighting vehicles capable of operating in buildings up to 100 floors. The government said that since 2017, the number of fire stations has increased from 140 to 260, while the number of fire vehicles has risen from 750 to 1,660. A total of 400 more vehicles will soon join the fleet, it said.

According to the statement, more than 1.20 lakh fire audits were conducted in the state during 2025-26, along with over 31,000 mock drills and more than 75,000 training programmes.

Yogi Adityanath also directed officials to make the Fire no-objection certificate (NOC) system simpler and transparent. Officials said the validity period of fire NOCs has been increased from three years to five years. Between January 1 and May 31, out of 14,717 online applications received, and 10,670 NOCs were issued.The government said the training of Agnimitra and Agnisachetak volunteers in all blocks was finished.