Border states J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat will spearhead Wednesday the nation's largest coordinated civil defence exercise in decades, featuring blackouts, sirens, and evacuation drills across hundreds of districts as part of " Operation Abhyaas " - a nationwide emergency preparedness campaign prompted by rising Indo-Pak tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives.
Simultaneously, civil aviation authorities said Tuesday a separate IAF drill in western India will begin Wednesday night. Key airports like Delhi and Bengaluru will hold disaster management activities. Airlines said operations are expected to continue unaffected, though passengers should check flight status.
The drills will focus on civilian and infrastructure safety in the event of aerial strikes. In Rajasthan, multiple districts will conduct coordinated air raid simulations, with Kota and Rawatbhata designated as high-sensitivity zones due to their thermal power, uranium storage, and nuclear facilities.
Western border districts like Barmer and Jaisalmer will deploy over 1,000 civil defence personnel, while BSF will maintain close surveillance and coordination.
Operation Sindoor Live Update: 'Proud of our armed forces,' Rahul Gandhi lauds Operation Sindoor
Jaipur will activate 10 sirens and conduct a 10-20 minute blackout to test emergency responses under low visibility. "Residents should stay calm," Jaipur DC JK Soni said.
Gujarat will activate air raid sirens at all vital installations at 4.30pm, followed by a strict blackout from 7.30 to 8pm. "No light should be visible from outside homes or offices," said minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi.
In Punjab, border district Tarn Taran - originally omitted due to an outdated 2005 list - has been added to the schedule. Civil defence drills will also be held in 15 other Punjab districts, including Amritsar, Ferozepur, and Pathankot, with sirens at 7pm and blackouts at 8pm.
Chandigarh will hold a 10-minute blackout drill from 7.30 to 7.40pm, with air raid sirens sounding throughout.
In J&K, sirens and blackout drills will be carried out in civil defence districts, including Srinagar, Anantnag, Kupwara, and Uri. On Tuesday, J&K police and SDRF ran simulations around Dal Lake involving casualty evacuation and coordinated rescue.
Beyond the immediate border states, other regions will take part in the drill in alignment with a directive from Union home ministry.
Bengal will conduct its first statewide wartime-readiness drills since 1971, covering over 100 locations, including 20 sites in Kolkata, state civil defence officials said.
In Haryana, sirens, crash blackouts, and coordinated responses will be rolled out in civil defence towns like Ambala, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Rohtak, and Panipat.
Himachal Pradesh will conduct drills in Shimla at 4pm, simulating air raids, fire outbreaks, casualty evacuations, and search-and-rescue operations.
Uttar Pradesh will extend the home ministry's initial list of 19 civil defence district to all the districts statewide.
Simultaneously, civil aviation authorities said Tuesday a separate IAF drill in western India will begin Wednesday night. Key airports like Delhi and Bengaluru will hold disaster management activities. Airlines said operations are expected to continue unaffected, though passengers should check flight status.
The drills will focus on civilian and infrastructure safety in the event of aerial strikes. In Rajasthan, multiple districts will conduct coordinated air raid simulations, with Kota and Rawatbhata designated as high-sensitivity zones due to their thermal power, uranium storage, and nuclear facilities.
Western border districts like Barmer and Jaisalmer will deploy over 1,000 civil defence personnel, while BSF will maintain close surveillance and coordination.
Operation Sindoor Live Update: 'Proud of our armed forces,' Rahul Gandhi lauds Operation Sindoor
Jaipur will activate 10 sirens and conduct a 10-20 minute blackout to test emergency responses under low visibility. "Residents should stay calm," Jaipur DC JK Soni said.
Gujarat will activate air raid sirens at all vital installations at 4.30pm, followed by a strict blackout from 7.30 to 8pm. "No light should be visible from outside homes or offices," said minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi.
In Punjab, border district Tarn Taran - originally omitted due to an outdated 2005 list - has been added to the schedule. Civil defence drills will also be held in 15 other Punjab districts, including Amritsar, Ferozepur, and Pathankot, with sirens at 7pm and blackouts at 8pm.
Chandigarh will hold a 10-minute blackout drill from 7.30 to 7.40pm, with air raid sirens sounding throughout.
In J&K, sirens and blackout drills will be carried out in civil defence districts, including Srinagar, Anantnag, Kupwara, and Uri. On Tuesday, J&K police and SDRF ran simulations around Dal Lake involving casualty evacuation and coordinated rescue.
Beyond the immediate border states, other regions will take part in the drill in alignment with a directive from Union home ministry.
Bengal will conduct its first statewide wartime-readiness drills since 1971, covering over 100 locations, including 20 sites in Kolkata, state civil defence officials said.
In Haryana, sirens, crash blackouts, and coordinated responses will be rolled out in civil defence towns like Ambala, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Rohtak, and Panipat.
Himachal Pradesh will conduct drills in Shimla at 4pm, simulating air raids, fire outbreaks, casualty evacuations, and search-and-rescue operations.
Uttar Pradesh will extend the home ministry's initial list of 19 civil defence district to all the districts statewide.
You may also like
Nagaland State Lottery Result: May 7, 2025, 1 PM Live - Watch Streaming Of Winners List Of Dear Indus Sambad Morning Wednesday Weekly Draw
Mock Air Raid And Blackout Drill In All 20 Haryana Districts Tonight As Part Of 'Operation Abhyas' (Video)
NCP (SP) Chief Sharad Pawar Speaks To PM Modi, Rajnath Singh; Extends Full Support On Operation Sindoor
SC Seeks National Medical Commission's Reply On Plea Over Unpaid Stipends To Foreign Medical Graduates At Bhopal College
Britain's Got Talent's third semi-finalists revealed with stomach-churning twist
