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News18
09-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
War Ready: About 50 Air Raid Sirens Will Be Installed On Prominent High-Rises In Delhi
Last Updated: Minister Parvesh Verma's announcement came after the city conducted a test of an air raid siren atop the PWD headquarters at ITO on Friday afternoon To strengthen public safety and emergency preparedness in the national capital, the public works department (PWD) will install about 50 air raid sirens, cabinet minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma said on Friday. The minister's announcement came after the city conducted a test of an air raid siren atop the PWD headquarters at ITO on Friday afternoon. It was done in coordination with the Civil Defence Directorate. The siren tested on Friday could be heard up to a distance of 8 kilometres, the minister said. According to an official statement, the initiative came in the wake of ongoing military tensions between India and Pakistan and involves the installation of sirens on high-rise buildings across Delhi. 'Around 40 to 50 air raid sirens will be installed on prominent multi-storey buildings throughout the city," Singh stated. These sirens, he said, are intended to serve as a crucial warning system during emergencies. 'All sirens will be centrally operated from a dedicated command centre and will be managed under the authority of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)," he added. In the event of an emergency, the sirens will sound for five minutes to alert the public so they can immediately seek shelter under tables or in basements, the minister said. The plan to install air raid sirens across Delhi marks a significant advancement in the city's civil defence infrastructure. The Delhi government said it is working closely with disaster response agencies to ensure that all key and sensitive locations are covered and that public awareness protocols are effectively communicated. PWD and civil defence teams will continue testing and monitoring these installations in the coming days to ensure they are fully operational and ready for deployment when needed, it said. On May 7, Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, from where attacks against India have been planned and directed. Defence minister Rajnath Singh said in Operation Sindoor, nine terror camps were destroyed in Pakistan & PoK, and a large number of terrorists were killed. On the night of May 7-8, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in northern and western India, including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. 'These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," the defence minister had said on Thursday. First Published: May 09, 2025, 22:11 IST
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bihar t conduct civil defence mock drills in 7 cities including Patna
The state administration will conduct a civil defence mock drill simulating a crash blackout during an air raid scenario in seven cities across six districts from 7:00 PM to 7:10 PM on Wednesday, following directives from the Union ministry of home affairs. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and dog squad jawans check passengers and everywhere following the Pahalgam terror attack at Jaiprakash Narayan International Airport in Patna on Tuesday. (Santosh Kumar/HT) According to top officials, power supply will be suspended for 10 minutes in Patna, Purnia, Katihar, Begusarai, Barauni, Araria, and Kishanganj during the exercise. Warning sirens will be activated prior to the blackout to alert citizens. Chief secretary Amrit Lal Meena issued instructions to all concerned District Magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) after a high-level meeting with the Director General of Police, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), and senior officials from the Civil Defence Directorate. The mock drill is part of a nationwide preparedness initiative in light of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. 'This drill aims to raise public awareness about civil defence roles during wartime or emergencies. The blackout will be simulated across seven cities for ten minutes. Civil defence volunteers from the Disaster Management Department will also conduct awareness drives and training sessions for residents throughout the day,' Chief Secretary said. Officials clarified that the mock drill is meant to train citizens to respond effectively during air raids and evaluate the state's civil defence preparedness. Hospitals and essential services will remain unaffected. Efforts will be made to minimise inconvenience for commuters and the general public. Paresh Saxena, ADG and Commissioner of the Civil Defence Directorate, stated that 12,000 trained civil defence volunteers will be deployed across the six districts. These volunteers will educate the public on precautionary measures and appropriate responses during aerial threats. 'Similar drills were conducted in 1971 during the Indo-Pak war to prepare citizens for emergency situations,' Saxena noted. Fire services, police, and other administrative departments will work in coordination during the blackout simulation. School students will also be sensitised on emergency preparedness. Reassuring the public, Meena and Saxena stressed that there is no need for panic, as the drill is a precautionary and evaluative measure aimed at identifying gaps in the civil defence system and strengthening administrative response. However, public reactions were mixed. Rajeev Kumar, a resident of Jagdeo Path in Patna, said, 'It's a good initiative. People should know how to react in case of an air raid. But I'm not sure how effective these drills will be. The government should've acted more strongly against terrorists after the Pahalgam attack.' Another resident, Ramesh Kumar Sinha, felt that the drill would be better conducted in the morning. 'We don't fully understand what this is about. I just hope it doesn't disrupt daily life too much,' he said. Meanwhile, the Patna administration has mobilised fire tenders, police forces, and other emergency services for the successful execution of the mock drill. .
