LUCKNOW: After Sunday’s fire, safety measures have been spruced up by the Maha Kumbh administration. It has been decided to set up a fire station for every 800 square metre of the mela area where over 1.6 lakh tents have been put up.

On Tuesday, teams of police and fire services personnel started an awareness and checking drive to ensure that there were no illegal cylinders kept in any of the camps.

An emergency meeting of the food and civil supplies department, fire safety officials and LPG distributors was also held. Besides, the fire safety department issued ‘dos and don’ts’ for the devotees staying in the mela area.

It was decided during the meeting that strict action would be taken against those found misusing domestic LPG or selling unauthorised cylinders.

In all, 53 fire stations and 20 fire posts have been set up to deal with fire. More than 1,300 firemen and 300 fire-tenders are ready to deal with any eventuality, said a senior official of the fire safety department.

Prayagraj and Lucknow have nine and 11 fire stations, while the mela area 53.

“This was the reason we could control the Sunday fire incident. Our set up is such that a fire tender will not take more than three-four minutes to reach any site in the mela area,” the official says.

More 4,300 fire hydrants have been strategically deployed to handle any emergency.