Chandigarh, Oct. 30 -- While the city is comparatively better placed than its neighbours Mohali and Panchkula in terms of the availability of fire equipment, staff and response time due to its compact, grid-based geography, it has its own set of problems. Fire officials say that due to limited parking space, city's markets and residential areas are cramped with haphazardly parked vehicles, which may stall response time even if the emergency vehicle manages to reach the spot on time. This is a concern, especially during the festive season, when crowded markets, temporary stalls and firecracker sales increase the risk of a blaze. To be sure, Chandigarh has seven fire stations, 550 personnel, a fleet of 30 immediate response vehicles, and two hydraulic platforms with a reach of around 110 ft stationed at Sector 17 and Manimajra for high-rise rescue operations, against a geographical area of 114 square kilometres. "The department faces acute operational challenges in busy commercial areas, where vehicles are posed haphazardly," revealed a senior MC official at the Sector-17 station.P2...