From schools to factories: Mock disaster drill unfolds across Greater Noida

The drills were aimed at assessing the district’s coordinated response to natural and industrial disasters

In an elaborate city-wide exercise to test disaster preparedness, Greater Noida witnessed a series of multi-agency mock drills on Friday under the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA’s) ‘Exercise Suraksha Chakra’ initiative, officials informed.

Noida Police during a mock drill earlier this year. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The drills were aimed at assessing the district’s coordinated response to natural and industrial disasters such as earthquakes and chemical fires, and were carried out simultaneously at five key locations, including factories, educational institutions, and a major hospital.

Simulated earthquake and industrial mishap scenarios were enacted at LG India Pvt Ltd, the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Savitribai Phule Girls Inter College, AWHO Township in Gurjinder Vihar, and the Vikas Bhawan complex in Surajpur. Each site had a designated incident commander overseeing the execution of disaster protocols involving evacuation, fire control, first aid, triage, and rescue operations.

District magistrate (DM) Medha Roopam visited the LG India Pvt Ltd site, where she reviewed the sequence of emergency responses, assessed safety protocols, and spoke with administrative officers and security personnel. “Our primary objective with this mock drill was to ensure that all departments are equipped to act swiftly and in coordination during any real emergency. Preparedness is key, and exercises like this help us identify gaps and strengthen our disaster response mechanisms,” said DM Roopam.

One of the most comprehensive simulations unfolded at GIMS where the drill began at 9am with an emergency siren mimicking a high-intensity earthquake. Within seconds, the hospital activated its internal disaster protocol — a live test of its capacity to manage rescue operations, clinical triage, fire response, and critical care coordination under simulated crisis conditions.

The situation escalated with the simulation of a chemical fire, requiring full deployment of all emergency systems without disrupting essential patient services.

“Today’s drill is not just an exercise, it is a declaration of our preparedness. In an actual disaster, time saves lives. I am proud of the quick, precise, and coordinated response by every member of our institution,” said director GIMS Dr (Brig.) Rakesh Gupta.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), led by inspector Rajendra Kumar with five junior commissioned officers and 32 trained personnel, carried out rescue operations drills in GIMS with military precision. The district administration, including additional district magistrate (ADM) Atul Kumar, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Anuj Nehra, and chief fire officer Pradeep Kumar with a 16-member fire team, ensured smooth civic alignment.

Emergency services across all five sites were tested on a range of response actions, from swift evacuations and crowd management to mock rescues, first aid delivery, fire containment, and referral logistics.

Officials said each department executed its designated role effectively, demonstrating the importance of joint disaster preparedness in a rapidly growing urban area like Greater Noida. The drill brought together key agencies including the NDRF, SDRF, fire services, police, transport, health department, and the local administration.

District officials said the drill has laid the foundation for stronger disaster resilience across the region, while also instilling a culture of preparedness among residents, students, and institutional stakeholders alike.