Mock drills offer lessons in preparedness, reassure participants

Indian Express

07-05-2025

Written by Ashutosh Sahoo, Shayli Singkh,
As sirens blared and emergency teams scrambled into municipal corporation buildings in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Vanaz industrial estate on Wednesday as part of the nationwide Operation Abhyas, the mock drills offered participating agencies lessons in preparedness and for some, it came as a moment of reassurance and wake-up call for others.
In Pune district, the mock drills were conducted at the Council Hall of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), where urban scenarios were simulated. At Mulshi Panchayat Samiti, mock drills were simulated for a rural setting. At Talegaon Municipal Council, drills were held for a semi-urban environment and in Vanaz Industrial Estate, for an industrial setting.
'This is the first mock drill I witnessed in my tenure at PMC and it really opened my eyes to the seriousness of our national security,' said Riya Shah, 37, a PMC employee. 'Watching the emergency services work together so efficiently made me feel proud, but also a bit anxious,' she said.
At the PMC headquarters, where over 3,500 people were present, drill preparations began around 2 pm and the actual drill, at 4 pm. It involved a coordinated response to a simulated blast. 'As soon as the mock incident took place, NDRF, Fire Department and Police were alerted at the same time. The teams reached immediately and rescued five injured people, transferring them to the hospital.' Rakesh Vitaker, PMC's Security Officer.
'Today's mock drill enhanced inter-agency coordination and provided real-life exposure to managing such kinds of unusual emergencies. It reinforced the importance of quick decision-making under pressure and boosted confidence for real incident readiness.' said Devendra Potphode, chief fire officer for PMC and PMRDA.
A parallel drill unfolded at the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation building, simulating a massive explosion followed by clouds of smoke. Over 5,000 occupants, including employees and visitors, were evacuated within minutes. 'The simulated blast resulted in 10 staged casualties, which were promptly attended to and the mock victims taken to Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital,' said a PCMC official. Within 15 minutes, fire brigades, police, ambulances, and disaster management teams brought the situation under control—demonstrating near-flawless coordination.
'These drills are just the beginning of a wider effort to strengthen the capabilities of institutions to respond in such scenarios,' said an NDRF official who was part of the exercise at PMC. Anjali Patil, a 52-year-old school teacher, was among those who were impressed. 'It was both fascinating and reassuring. The way the teams simulated a crisis showed just how prepared our authorities are.'
Beyond the simulations, the drill served as a public education effort. Teams disseminated information on guidance in responding to sirens, finding shelter, preparing emergency kits, and avoiding panic.
'While we may feel safe in our daily routines, there are always risks around us,' said Rajesh Deshmukh, 43-year-old PMC staffer. 'This experience was a wake-up call.' he added.
At Vanaz Industrial Estate, volunteers and other emergency response teams coordinated to undertake an evacuation of a demarcated area.
Krishna Pawar, a volunteer from Garware College, directed people to lay down motionless on the floor alongside other 'injured' participants.'We were briefed to act dead and the ambulance would come to take us. This is part of our training, and it feels quite intense when you're actually in it.' Among the observers were students from the Pharmacy College of Poona. 'This is my first brush with a war-like situation. It's scary but I'm glad the authorities are taking such steps,' said Akash Purole.