India, May 11 -- Rampant encroachments, unregulated parking, and congested neighbourhoods are increasingly hindering fire response across Delhi. A ground assessment by Hindustan Times revealed that, in several localities, barely half the road width remains usable - far below what fire tenders require to operate effectively. The additional difficulties in accessing incident sites delay timely rescue and can increase the chances of fatalities and critical injuries.

The ground assessment was carried out using a laser measurement device across eight locations across west, south and east Delhi. Several fires have been reported at or near these areas in the last few years.

The survey found that, while the original carriageway widths in many a...