At 7.30pm today, observe total darkness for 12 minutes

Time of India

06-05-2025

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Indore: After 54 years, Indore will again hear air raid sirens on Wednesday as part of a nationwide mock drill.IMC will install sirens at 12 areas across the city like Rajwada, mill area, Annapurna, Aerodrome, and Banganga by Wednesday afternoon. A team of volunteers will be formed to educate residents on the necessary actions to be taken on hearing the sirens. The exercise will involve collaboration of police, administration, NCC and NSS cadets, home guards, civil defence wardens, and college students."Installation of sirens at 12 locations in the city has begun, and the process of appointing civil defence volunteers is also in progress. There is nothing to panic as the drill aims to simulate real-time scenarios by switching off lights while civilians practice taking shelter and emergency services respond accordingly," Collector Asheesh Singh said.Blackouts of 1971…The last time Indoreans had experienced such blackouts was during India-Pakistan war in 1971. Locals who had witnessed these wartime safety measures recalled how the entire city would be plunge into darkness, and residents would rush to secure locations upon hearing the sirens. Narayan Rao Manchare, a resident, recalled how even lighting a lamp outside the house was prohibited during the blackout. "The purpose was to prevent enemy aircraft from identifying settlements during aerial attacks," he said. Another resident, Vijay Yadav, who was a school student at that time, remembers how his father would immediately call them inside the house upon hearing the siren, and the entire neighbourhood would become dark.Indore: After 54 years, Indore will again hear air raid sirens on Wednesday as part of a nationwide mock drill.IMC will install sirens at 12 areas across the city like Rajwada, mill area, Annapurna, Aerodrome, and Banganga by Wednesday afternoon. A team of volunteers will be formed to educate residents on the necessary actions to be taken on hearing the sirens. The exercise will involve collaboration of police, administration, NCC and NSS cadets, home guards, civil defence wardens, and college students."Installation of sirens at 12 locations in the city has begun, and the process of appointing civil defence volunteers is also in progress. There is nothing to panic as the drill aims to simulate real-time scenarios by switching off lights while civilians practice taking shelter and emergency services respond accordingly," Collector Asheesh Singh said.Blackouts of 1971…The last time Indoreans had experienced such blackouts was during India-Pakistan war in 1971. Locals who had witnessed these wartime safety measures recalled how the entire city would be plunge into darkness, and residents would rush to secure locations upon hearing the sirens. Narayan Rao Manchare, a resident, recalled how even lighting a lamp outside the house was prohibited during the blackout. "The purpose was to prevent enemy aircraft from identifying settlements during aerial attacks," he said. Another resident, Vijay Yadav, who was a school student at that time, remembers how his father would immediately call them inside the house upon hearing the siren, and the entire neighbourhood would become dark.