Senior Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials told that the fire bikes were not working out the way they were planned.
The major problem is their limited capacity to carry water. Each bike can hold 20 liters of water, which is not enough to deal with emergencies.
While the fire bikes are quick to reach the spot of distress, what they do after arriving is constrained by their limited capacity.
"Since a bike can carry only two fire extinguishers of 10 litres each, the water supply is an issue. You never know when a fire turns big from a small ignition. Also, in congested areas, the houses, living area, work place are all in the same complex which makes it even tougher," said a senior official.
He said that in such areas even the water supply inside the houses in the nearby areas was not much, making the situation more difficult.
The motorcycle respondent team consists of a rider and a pillion, with the fire extinguishers hanging on the bike on either side.
The fire department also sends a fire tender as a precautionary measure for back up.
The time taken for the motorcycle to make repeated trips to the source of water makes it an unsuccessful move.
The motorcycle first respondents (MCFS), a service for cramped and narrow lanes, was started in June 2009. As per information from the fire department, only 10 motorcycles were purchased and located at 10 places including Connaught Place, Paliwalan, Roop Nagar, Paharganj, Laxmi Nagar, Teliwala, Rohini and Shayam Prasad Mukherjee Marg (SPM).
( With inputs from IANS )