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Hindustan Times
10-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Delhi traders hope for normalcy, safety protocols stay on
As India and Pakistan agreed to an immediate ceasefire, traders and market associations across Delhi breathed a sigh of relief on Saturday, hoping that footfall—which had dropped sharply over the past few days—would return to normal. Market bodies said the security drills and protocols put in place over the last few days will not be rolled back, but rather refined to better prepare for emergencies. In Sarojini Nagar market, which typically sees over 50,000 shoppers daily, traders said the ceasefire announcement came as a much-needed reprieve after footfall halved over the past two to three days. To ensure safety, the market is now getting all firefighting equipment checked and restocked. 'All shops have been asked to ensure their fire extinguishers are filled and functional. Those who don't have them have been directed to get one immediately. We've also asked shops to keep corridors clear and remove any heavy items that block pathways,' said Ashok Randhawa, president of the Sarojini Nagar Mini Market Traders' Association. In Khan Market, the traders' association has launched a verification drive for all shop staff, with a temporary halt on hiring new employees without prior police clearance. 'It is definitely a relief that the situation has calmed down. We're conducting fresh police verification for existing staff and have asked shops not to hire new people for now,' said Sanjeev Mehra, president of the Khan Market Traders' Association. 'We've also requested the reinstatement of the old parking vendor, who was removed four months ago. He knew everyone in the market and can be a valuable resource for security.' Khan Market is also restoring its public address (PA) system, which had been taken down during the G20 summit two years ago due to exposed wiring. The association believes it will be crucial for emergency communication. In Connaught Place, traders held a meeting Saturday morning where they were urged to avoid panic and run operations as usual. Still, precautionary steps are being taken in case of any disruptions or blackout scenarios. 'During a blackout drill in CP, we noticed many shops had generators that switched on automatically. We've asked shopkeepers to keep these switched off at night and also spread the word to non-member shops. We've also requested the installation of a local siren, as the nearest one is at ITO and wasn't audible during Friday's drill,' said Atul Bhargava of the Connaught Place Traders' Association. Traders have also approached the police for help in removing encroachments around markets to improve accessibility and safety. At Nehru Place, a zero-tolerance policy is now being enforced against storage of materials in corridors or outside shops. 'We are clearing all obstructed pathways to ensure smooth evacuation and access if needed,' said Inder Kohli of the Nehru Place Traders' Association. In Chandni Chowk, wholesale traders had planned to shut shop by 6pm starting Saturday so that markets could clear out before dark in case of a blackout. However, following the ceasefire announcement, they have decided to stick to their regular closing time. 'Most wholesale shops close by 7pm, after which goods are transported. We had planned to wind up an hour early so everything could be cleared before nightfall. But now that a ceasefire has been announced, we'll continue with regular hours unless the situation changes again,' said Mukesh Sachdeva, president of the Delhi Hindustani Mercantile Association (DHMA).
The Print
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
A mock drill brings Delhi's bustling Khan Market to a standstill. It's the 1st of many more to come
At least 100 shopkeepers from the market gathered in the central parking of the market to understand what needs to be done in case of an emergency. Under the government-led 'Operation Abhyaas', war-like scenarios, including airstrikes, fire emergencies, and search-and-rescue operations, were simulated to test the city's preparedness for multiple hostile threats amid rising India-Pakistan tensions. New Delhi: The calm of New Delhi's upscale Khan Market was shattered in the afternoon of 7 May as sirens blared and emergency vehicles raced through its narrow lanes. A building was in ruins, at least 20 people were said to be injured, and chaos seemed to be unfolding—but it was all part of a mock drill. At 4 pm, the sirens were sounded, and a step-wise mock drill that lasted for 30 minutes began. People ran for cover, looking for safe spaces inside shops where they stayed hidden till the danger was over. On the other end of the market's parking lot, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) members in their gear brought out stretchers, masks, ropes and other equipment needed to bring people safety. As soon as the warning sirens stopped and the safety siren began, the NDRF and Civil Defence staff began their mock rescue operation. They simulated bringing all the 'injured' people to the makeshift hospital, where doctors 'treated' those with 'minor injuries'. Those with 'major injuries' were carried on stretchers and shifted to ambulances and police vans that would take them to the hospitals. Speaking to ThePrint, Sanjeev Mehra, president of Khan Market traders' association, said, 'Khan Market is a very sensitive area as far as diplomats and bureaucrats are concerned; they all visit this market. They wanted to guide us about what to do in that eventuality.' Mehra said that India's air strikes may 'provoke' Pakistan into retaliating. 'If they try it again, they will be prepared and they will have it from India this time.' Also Read: Mock drills to 'Code Brown' prep, how Delhi NCR hospitals are bracing for potential emergencies More drills planned ahead Kavita Bai, an NDRF commanding officer, told ThePrint that the mock drill was simulating a situation where one building was on fire and another had collapsed completely. Authorities were together trying to show people how to react in such a scenario, she said. 'During a war, the public needs to look after itself. That's what we're teaching them,' she told ThePrint, adding that if the citizens of the country are well-aware of how to react in times of war, the government can handle the situation in a much better way. New Delhi District Magistrate Sunny Kumar Singh told ThePrint that the government has been conducting mock drills across Delhi in different kinds of buildings, from hospitals and schools to public areas like markets and the airport. Mock drills were conducted across six locations across districts in New Delhi to assess arrangements and preparedness, he said. 'NDRF, Civil Defence, health department, traffic police, and Delhi Police all came together to make this initiative possible. We are even trying to make people understand that if the tower-based communication is disrupted, then how the Ham radio clubs cooperate and how an alternate communication channel can be established,' he told ThePrint. Singh said that the purpose is to review the preparedness of the agencies to deal with such kinds of disasters. 'In not more than 30 minutes, the rescue operations were finished and a green corridor was built to take people to the hospitals,' he said, adding that the authorities were testing the 'inter-agency coordination'. Singh said that the same mock drill is going to be followed in the coming days, with new places being covered to create more and more awareness among people. 'Today's exercise shows us that our preparedness is completely fine and we are ready for anything to come. We just hope to get people's cooperation.' Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Devesh Kumar Mahala said all government agencies have participated in the mock drills across Delhi according to the government protocol. 'We will sit at a round table after this and discuss where we require improvements now. We request people to keep a check on information shared by the government and act upon it.' (Edited by Sanya Mathur) Also Read: '3 splinters hit him, 1 got lodged in his lung'—fear & death in Poonch after shelling by Pakistan
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Indian Express
In Delhi markets, traders recall Covid, say well-versed with drills
As a red firefighting bike – the First Responder – runs circles while blaring air sirens at Khan Market, and ambulances and Delhi Fire Service (DFS) vehicles cruise inside its lanes, shoppers start running, many recording their sprints on phones. The scene being played out here is from a mock drill, conducted as part of Operation Abhyaas, on Wednesday. 'People who can run, please stand separately, those who can't, please come to this side,' Sanjeev Mehra, president of Khan Market Association, tells the 15 to 20 shopkeepers who have gathered. Not many move, prompting Mehra to address pedestrians. 'Shoppers, please, you can also join the drills if interested,' he said. Mehra then directs the people inside a tent, set up to act as a temporary control room for the drill. At 4 pm, the air siren on the red Aska firefighting bike is turned on, and people start running towards the Khan Market Metro station. The ones inside the control room go down on their knees, hands behind their heads. As the crowd clears — directed by 90 Delhi Police civil defense volunteers — two DFS tenders and ambulances rush in to rescue those posing as injured civilians. Around 4.10 pm, air sirens blare again, announcing the end of air strikes. After a drill by the fire tenders, volunteers posing as injured and dead are picked up, some on stretchers and some on the shoulders of NDRF officials. They are loaded into ambulances, which make way from the busy market, as police personnel clear roads by stopping traffic. At 5.30 pm, the mock drill ends. 'Last time, we saw a mock drill during the Covid-19 pandemic… So, we are well versed with it,' said Harish Goel (60), who runs the Mokobora franchise store. Puneet Kapoor (50), who owns the designer crockery store Sham Di Hatti, said that the mock drill was much needed as civilians don't understand the 'fragile nature of peace'. New Delhi District Magistrate Sunny Kumar Singh, who was at the market, said the purpose of the drill was twofold. 'The two main purposes of the drill were public and administrative preparation. We wanted to make people aware of the dos and don'ts… we also needed to see where we stand while dealing with such situations.' Another busy shopping destination in the Capital, the Central Market in Lajpat Nagar, also observed a similar drill. Soon after 4 pm, security personnel barricaded a portion of the market. As sirens blared, traders and shoppers vacated the market's barricaded portion on cue. Fire vehicles were stationed in the stretch, while police cars, ambulances, trucks and mini excavators entered the barricaded stretch. A small park at the centre of the market was turned into an incident command post, where doctors were stationed —providing treatment to the shopkeepers posing as injured civilians, before the civil defence volunteers loaded them into ambulances.
