Nationwide civil defence mock drills begin at 4pm today; dos and don'ts

Hindustan Times

07-05-2025

A civil defence mock drill will be conducted at 244 districts across India on Wednesday, May 7 in line with the directions of the ministry of home affairs (MHA), the first such exercise in decades, hours after India's airstrikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. School students crouch under a desk during a drill conducted as part of a nationwide civil defence exercise, in Ghaziabad on Wednesday.(PTI)
India conducted targeted military strikes against Pakistan-based terrorist groups in widely expected tit-for-tat blows after a terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people.
India said in a statement early on Wednesday that it conducted 'a precise and restrained response' that was 'designed to be non-escalatory in nature.' It said that it only targeted 'known terror camps' and hit no Pakistani civilian, economic or military targets — a statement disputed by Pakistan.
According to officials, the first mock drill will be held at 4pm.
The home ministry has asked several states to conduct mock drills for effective civil defence. The measures to be undertaken include operationalisation of Air Raid Warning Sirens and training of civilians, students,etc. on the civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack.
The measures also include the provision of crash blackout measures, provision for early camouflaging of vital installations and updation of the evacuation plan and its rehearsal. 10 updates on mock drills today: As part of a nationwide mega mock drill, authorities in Delhi will conduct 'Operation Abhyaas' at 55 locations across the city at 4 pm. Officials said the drill will simulate various emergency situations such as air raids, fires and search-and-rescue operations. The Delhi directorate of education (DoE) has directed all school heads to organise training sessions for students and teachers on disaster response and a demonstration video has been shared to help schools understand how to conduct a proper mock drill. A civil defence mock drill will be conducted at 16 locations across 10 districts in Maharashtra. More than 10,000 volunteers of civil defence, National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and Home Guard volunteers will participate in the mock drill, which is part of a large-scale nationwide preparedness exercise. In Maharashtra, mock drills will be conducted in the districts of Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Raigad, Jalgaon, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Palghar. The MHA has directed the authorities to conduct the mock drill in Mumbai, Uran, Tarapur, Thane, Pune, Nashik, Roha-Nagothane, Manmad, Sinnar, Thal, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Bhusawal, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. Mock drills will be conducted in Bengaluru, Karwar, and Raichur from May 7, given the "new and complex threats" that have emerged amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack. A full-scale civil defence mock drill will be carried out across all districts of Uttar Pradesh in coordination with police, fire services, disaster response forces and local administrations to assess emergency preparedness. In Lucknow, a rehearsal was held on Tuesday at the police lines area, where a simulated bomb blast was enacted. Security forces swiftly responded, taking positions and managing a staged public panic to demonstrate real-time preparedness. The places where the mock drills will be held are Prayagraj, Varanasi, Jhansi, Bareilly and Farrukhabad. In Varanasi, DIG Shivashimpi Channappa said, 'A combined meeting with all department heads has been held. Starting 6am, drills will begin from the police lines and extend to multiple zones through smaller units.' Jhansi has rescheduled its mock drill from 6pm to 4pm, to be held at the Reserve Police Lines, as per an announcement by SSP B Murthy. Bareilly will observe a district-wide blackout from 8pm to 8:10pm on May 7. As per the directive of the Union ministry of home affairs, civil defence mock drills will be conducted in 14 districts of Kerala. The mock drills are being held in response to the 'new and complex threats' that have emerged amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, will begin at 4pm. The civil defence mock drills will be conducted at two locations in Visakhapatnam. Visakhapatnam district Collector MN Harendhira Prasad said two locations -- Kotha Jalaripeta and Oxygen Towers -- have been chosen for the drill. Dehradun is preparing for a civil defence mock drill, which includes simulating air raid sirens, blackouts, and evacuation plans. Dehradun district magistrate Savin Basnal and senior superintendent of Police Ajay Singh held a meeting with the officers associated with the army, paramilitary force, civil defence wardens, volunteers and IRS system in Rishiparna Auditorium collectorate and gave necessary instructions regarding the mock drill to be held nationwide on May 7. The district administration in Rajasthan's Barmer has stepped up preparations ahead of a major mock drill, with officials and residents actively participating in civil defence measures. Barmer, which shares a border with Pakistan, holds historical significance as a key frontier district that witnessed the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. An extensive mock drill will be carried out across 14 'civil defence districts' of Assam. Civil defence mock drills and blackouts will be conducted in 18 districts of Gujarat. While mock drills will be held at vital installations in each of these 18 districts at 4pm, citizens will participate in 'blackout' mock drills by switching off lights between 7.30pm and 8pm, Gujarat's minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi said. In Gujarat, mock drills will be held at Vadodara, Surat, Tapi, Patan, Banaskantha, Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Morbi, Gir Somnath, Mehsana, Narmada, Navsari, Dang, Kutch, Bharuch, Gandhinagar and Bhavnagar, he said. Things to know during mock drills DOs: Familiarise yourself with siren sounds:
Long wails indicate an air-raid alert.
Short bursts signal an all-clear. Locate the nearest shelter such as:
Basements
Underground car parks
Designated safe zones Keep an emergency kit ready, including:
Torch
Water bottles
Basic medicines
Emergency contacts
Stop all outdoor activities immediately when the siren is sounded.
Move quickly to the nearest shelter and remain there until all-clear is declared. Switch off all lights and use blackout measures like:
Thick curtains or blinds
Turning off or covering light-emitting devices (TVs, phones, tablets)
Simulate a blackout with your family to test preparedness.
Report any unfamiliar or suspicious activity to the authorities. Participate in community training sessions, especially:
First aid
Emergency responses for children
Safe space identification at home and school
Ensure the elderly and children are included in all steps of the drill.
Snacks
Water
Medicines
Emergency contacts and IDs
Follow all instructions from trainers and authorities.
Schools must:
Conduct training sessions for students and teachers
Play the demonstration video
Submit reports and photographs of the drill to district education offices DON'Ts:
Do not use mobile phones during the drill to keep communication lines free for emergencies.
Do not leave lights on or use any visible lighting during the blackout.
Avoid entering restricted areas or locations under camouflage by authorities.
Do not share photos, videos or sensitive details of the drill or local facilities on social media.
Avoid panic or confusion—this is a drill to improve preparedness, not an actual emergency.
Do not ignore the sirens or instructions issued by civil defence or DDMA teams.