NEW DELHI: The ministry of home affairs in light of rising security concerns following the Pahalgam terror attack will conduct a nationwide civil defence mock drill across 244 districts on May 7, aimed at enhancing emergency preparedness and public safety mechanisms.
Union home secretary Govind Mohan is set to review the preparations with chief secretaries and civil defence heads from across the country in a video conference on Tuesday.
According to an official communication from the directorate general of fire services, civil defence and home guards, the mock drills will involve operationalising air-raid warning sirens, cleaning and restoring bunkers and trenches, and training civilians on protective measures during hostile attacks.
Other key activities include implementing crash-blackout protocols, camouflaging vital installations, updating evacuation plans , and testing communication lines with the Indian Air Force through hotline and radio systems. Control rooms and shadow control rooms will also be tested for operational readiness.
“In the current geo-political scenario, new and complex threats/challenges have emerged, hence, it would be prudent that optimum civil defence preparedness in the states/UTs is maintained at all times,” the ministry stated.
The exercise will be held down to the village level and will see participation from civil defence wardens, home guards, NCC and NSS cadets, NYKS volunteers, and school and college students.
The civil defence drill follows a deadly terror attack in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which left 26 people dead, mostly tourists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, saying they would be pursued “to the ends of the earth.”
What is civil defence mock drill:
A civil defence mock drill is a simulated emergency exercise designed to prepare civilians and authorities for potential threats such as war, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, or other hostile situations. The goal is to test the readiness of civil defence systems and to train people on how to respond effectively in real-life emergencies.
Union home secretary Govind Mohan is set to review the preparations with chief secretaries and civil defence heads from across the country in a video conference on Tuesday.
#WATCH | Students in a Jammu school being trained to respond to any eventuality during a mock drill exercise
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2025
MHA has directed countrywide mock drills on May 7 pic.twitter.com/NxxxmOGetn
According to an official communication from the directorate general of fire services, civil defence and home guards, the mock drills will involve operationalising air-raid warning sirens, cleaning and restoring bunkers and trenches, and training civilians on protective measures during hostile attacks.
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Other key activities include implementing crash-blackout protocols, camouflaging vital installations, updating evacuation plans , and testing communication lines with the Indian Air Force through hotline and radio systems. Control rooms and shadow control rooms will also be tested for operational readiness.
#WATCH | Security heightened at Connaught Place in Delhi
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2025
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has ordered nationwide mock drills, tomorrow, May 7. pic.twitter.com/OfVOeNksuk
“In the current geo-political scenario, new and complex threats/challenges have emerged, hence, it would be prudent that optimum civil defence preparedness in the states/UTs is maintained at all times,” the ministry stated.
The exercise will be held down to the village level and will see participation from civil defence wardens, home guards, NCC and NSS cadets, NYKS volunteers, and school and college students.
#WATCH | UP | Air raid siren test being conducted at Lucknow's Police Lines as a part of a rehearsal for nationwide mock drill exercise to be conducted on May 7
— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2025
MHA has ordered nationwide mock drills on May 7 pic.twitter.com/10aRE8WX3x
The civil defence drill follows a deadly terror attack in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which left 26 people dead, mostly tourists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, saying they would be pursued “to the ends of the earth.”
What is civil defence mock drill:
A civil defence mock drill is a simulated emergency exercise designed to prepare civilians and authorities for potential threats such as war, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, or other hostile situations. The goal is to test the readiness of civil defence systems and to train people on how to respond effectively in real-life emergencies.
- Air-raid warning siren tests to simulate alerts for incoming attacks.
- Evacuation rehearsals for moving people to safety from vulnerable areas.
- Bunker and trench cleaning to ensure shelters are usable.
- Crash-blackout procedures where lights are turned off to avoid detection from the air.
- Camouflaging critical infrastructure such as power plants or military installations.
- Training civilians (including students, volunteers, home guards) on first aid, firefighting, shelter use, and communication protocols.
- Coordination drills with armed forces, police, and emergency services.
- Testing control rooms and radio links for emergency communication.
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