Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to finalise preparations for a nationwide mock drill scheduled for Wednesday (May 7). The exercise—prompted by heightened tensions with Pakistan following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam—will be conducted across 244 designated civil defence districts, extending down to the village level.
Top officials from the Civil Defence and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) attended the meeting at the Ministry of Home Affairs. The session also witnessed virtual participation from district-level officers across the country. According to a member of the National Disaster Management Authority, the meeting identified gaps in preparedness that would be addressed as part of the upcoming drill.
The Ministry has said that the primary goal of the exercise is to assess and enhance the country’s civil defence infrastructure, including the operational status of air raid warning systems, hotline activation, and communication networks with the Indian Air Force. In addition to verifying the functionality of control rooms and shadow rooms, the drill will also test public readiness in scenarios involving crash blackouts and evacuation procedures.
Civilians, including school and college students, are to be trained on basic survival tactics in the event of a hostile attack. They will be instructed to keep first-aid kits, torches, candles, and cash on hand in anticipation of digital disruptions. Civil defence wardens, Home Guard volunteers, NCC, NSS, and NYKS members will also be mobilised as part of the coordinated effort.
The last such comprehensive mock drill was conducted during the lead-up to the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Officials underscored the importance of the current exercise given the evolving nature of threats and the need for a resilient civil defence mechanism. Former Uttar Pradesh police chief and NDRF advisor O.P. Singh said that the key objective is to minimise harm to life and property and that public awareness and participation are central to the success of any such effort.
Singh emphasised that preparedness plans vary depending on the nature and proximity of the threat—be it an airstrike or a missile attack. During the exercise, citizens will be taught what actions to avoid in blackout conditions to prevent location exposure, a vital consideration in modern warfare scenarios.
The Home Ministry had earlier issued detailed instructions to Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories, stressing the need for readiness amid prevailing regional tensions. The notification called for full involvement of local authorities and communities, reiterating the government’s commitment to strengthening national resilience.
This large-scale mobilisation comes less than two weeks after 26 tourists, were killed in a terror strike in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley.
(with inputs from agencies)
