Mock drills demonstrate air raid precautions and civil defence preparedness in Punjab and Haryana

Time of India

3 days ago

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Chandigarh: Air raid sirens echoed through Punjab and
Haryana
cities this week as mock drills were conducted to bolster civil defence preparedness under Operation Shield, a statewide initiative aimed at enhancing emergency response in the event of aerial attacks.
Coordinated by deputy commissioners across multiple districts — including the sensitive border areas of Fazilka and Ferozepur — the drills involved a detailed demonstration of air raid protocols, citizen safety measures, and inter-agency coordination. In Bathinda, exercises were staged at the military area and Ganpati Enclave, with participation from police, Punjab Home Guards, and Civil Defence personnel.
Before the live simulations, residents were briefed on standard air raid precautions, such as seeking cover in designated shelters and avoiding exposure near windows.
As sirens signalled a simulated air raid, participants moved to safe zones or lay flat on the ground. Those adhering to instructions were marked "safe", while non-compliant individuals were treated as mock "casualties". The drill included a staged ambulance evacuation of the injured and a fire-control demonstration led by the fire brigade.
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Officials used the occasion to educate the public on critical safety protocols — including seeking shelter inside buildings, turning off lights at night, and maintaining calm.
A senior official said: "The goal is not just institutional readiness but public awareness. Every citizen plays a vital role in emergency scenarios, and these drills ensure that people know how to react swiftly and safely." Authorities concerned stressed that the exercise was not in response to any immediate threat, but part of a larger initiative to test and refine emergency preparedness across Punjab.
Jal shows readiness
Sirens blared through the twilight in Jalandhar Cantt at 6pm sharp near Jawahar Park at the Cantonment Board office, coordinated by Army and civil authorities, with Brigadier Sunil and regional transport authority (RTA) secretary Balbir Raj Singh briefing personnel on emergency response procedures ahead of the air-raid drill. Representatives from the district administration, Punjab Home Guards, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire brigade, health department, and other essential services participated in the coordinated operation.
The drill also included ambulance evacuations and live firefighting demonstrations, simulating civilian rescue and emergency containment in a crisis. In a parallel effort, Nawanshahr conducted a similar civil defence drill at the local administrative complex to test readiness against unforeseen threats, underscoring a state-wide emphasis on public safety preparedness, besides reinforcing inter-agency coordination, public awareness, and rapid response capabilities in the face of escalating security concerns.
Hry learns to dodge drones
Haryana as well staged one of its most extensive civil defence simulations to date, aimed at testing response capabilities to air raids, drone attacks and other high-intensity threats. Supervised by Sumita Misra, additional chief secretary of the state's home department, the drill was coordinated from the State Emergency Response Centre (SERC) Dial 112 in Panchkula and conducted under the direct guidance of the the central home ministry.
Misra oversaw live tactical updates from all 22 districts, issuing real-time instructions to district administrations. She emphasised the need for preparedness to evolve from a periodic exercise into a sustained culture. "Preparedness cannot be seasonal. It must be embedded in our system as a way of life," she said.
At the heart of the drill was an unprecedented mobilisation of nearly 10,000 Civil Defence volunteers, working in close coordination with the National Cadet Corps (NCC), Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), Home Guards, and National Service Scheme (NSS).
Trained by master trainers mentored by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the MHA, the volunteers played critical roles in community response and emergency protocols.
District war rooms, led by deputy commissioners, conducted tactical briefings and deployed teams to key locations. The drills included mock evacuations, emergency triage, and cybersecurity threat responses in both urban and rural environments.
Advanced tools — including drones, GIS-based tracking, and emergency alert systems — were used to simulate real-world conditions and assess resource coordination.
Misra said the simulation had exposed critical areas for future capacity-building and underscored the importance of "jan bhagidari" — the participatory governance model — in disaster resilience. "This exercise has proven that the state's strength lies not just in its systems but in its citizens," she said.
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Mall-function in Amritsar
Amritsar: A city-wide blackout drill intended to simulate a cross-border emergency response was met with mixed compliance on Saturday night, with large commercial establishments failing to fully participate despite official instructions.
The mock exercise, held from 8 to 8.30pm, was organised by the district administration in the wake of Operation Sindoor to test the city's readiness for potential air raids or wartime contingencies.
While most residential areas complied with the directive — plunging entire neighbourhoods into darkness — many showrooms and other commercial outlets kept their lights on or only dimmed those partially, drawing criticism from officials monitoring the exercise.
Vehicle movement during the drill also highlighted shortcomings. Four-wheelers continued to drive with headlights on, ignoring requests to park and turn off lights during the blackout. Two-wheeler riders were similarly non-compliant, though officials acknowledged that many bikes lack a manual headlight switch, limiting user control. TNN
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