Delhi to establish dedicated disaster response force of 1,100 personnel

Delhi is accelerating plans to establish a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to improve the capital's response capabilities to natural and man-made disasters. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta met with senior National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officials at the Delhi Secretariat on Thursday to advance the initiative, the Chief Minister's Office said.

The proposed force would operate as a dedicated battalion comprising up to 1,100 trained personnel functioning under the state government. Officials said the unit would enable rapid deployment to disaster sites and facilitate swift relief and rescue operations across the city.

The move comes in the aftermath of the Satya Niketan building collapse incident, which claimed seven lives and underscored the need for enhanced disaster management capabilities. The NDRF has committed to providing comprehensive training for personnel selected to join the new force.

According to the Chief Minister's Office, the NDRF officials briefed senior Delhi government representatives on various aspects of establishing and operationalizing the disaster response unit. The force would be equipped to handle multiple types of emergency situations and coordinate seamlessly with existing state disaster management mechanisms.