Delhi govt plans to raise 4 battalions of SDRF

Delhi government is planning to strengthen its disaster management apparatus by raising four battalions of the state response force to tackle natural and man-made calamities, officials said on Monday.

The need for a state disaster response force (SDRF) has been felt for quite some time in view of Delhi’s large population and frequent accidents, as well as the city’s vulnerability to earthquakes due to its location in Seismic Zone-IV, they said.

A senior Delhi government officer said that the plan is to raise SDRF in Delhi with four battalions comprising personnel from police, paramilitary, and direct recruitment of eligible candidates, including ex-Agniveers.

A Cabinet note, which is being prepared to raise the SDRF in Delhi, will be placed for approval of the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, he said.

Officials said that the lack of a well-defined disaster management infrastructure in the national capital was pointed out during a meeting of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), immediately after the BJP formed government in Delhi in February 2025.

In March 2025, a DDMA meeting chaired by then LG VK Saxena and attended by Gupta, observed that the Authority was “extremely ill-equipped” in terms of infrastructure, manpower and technology.

Delhi is one of the few states in the country that does not have an SDRF of its own or a centralised command control centre, officials said.

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The proposed SDRF in Delhi will have four battalions, each comprising 2-3 companies, totalling 140 to 210 personnel for effective rescue and relief work during calamities, including fire, earthquake, building collapse and major accidents, the officials said.

The DDMA has finalised basic operational details of the force and has shared its recommendations with the Home department of the Delhi government, which is working on the Cabinet note, they added.