India mock drill: Delhi lights up again, blackouts continue in other cities

India mock drill updates: Blackouts were conducted all across India today as part of a mock drill exercise. Several parts of Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, Bareilly, Bhopal, Lucknow and more became a no-light zone for a short period of time.

Several parts of Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, Mumbai, and more have gone dark as blackout exercises take place across the country. (Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times)

India mock drill updates: Blackout exercises are underway  on Wednesday in several cities across India as part of a large scale civil defence mock drill to review India's emergency response preparedness as tensions flare with neighbouring country Pakistan....Read More

Follow all the updates here:

• 7 May 2025, 11:13:30 PM IST

  Mock drill live: UPMRC participates in preparedness check

  Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation switched off the lights and participated in the blackout as part of a mock drill in Lucknow.

  The Lucknow Metro trains were stopped for about 15 minutes.

• 7 May 2025, 10:33:13 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Statue of Unity goes dark | Visuals

  The Statue of Unity in Gujarat has gone dark as part of a blackout exercise. 

• 7 May 2025, 10:17:04 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Blackout occurs in Gujarat's Bhuj district

  Blackouts occurred in Bhuj, Surat and Ahmedabad in Gujarat as part of the MHA-directed mock drill exercise.

• 7 May 2025, 09:58:01 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Police vans patrol streets, ask people to observe blackout in north Kashmir

  Police vans patrolling streets in north Kashmir have been asking people to observe blackout in the region, particularly in the Baramulla and Kupwara districts.

• 7 May 2025, 09:47:01 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Moment of blackout captured at Kandla Deendayal Port in Kutch district | See video

  Kandla Deendayal Port in the Kutch district of Gujarat experienced a blackout as part of the mock drill ordered by the MHA.

• 7 May 2025, 09:26:06 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Madhya Pradesh CM reviews blackout on videocall

  Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav reviewed the blackout during the state-wide civil defence mock drill through video conferencing at the State Command Centre.

• 7 May 2025, 08:58:43 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Bhopal goes from light to dark | See visuals

  Bhopal, in Madhya Pradesh, along with other cities like Gwalior went dark during a blackout exercise as part of mock drills carried out across India.

• 7 May 2025, 08:46:14 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Lights turn back on at Rashtrapati Bhavan, North and South Block

  Lights have turned back on at Rashtrapati Bhavan as well as the North Block and South Block in Delhi, following the blackout, as part of the mock drill ordered by the MHA.

• 7 May 2025, 08:40:04 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Barmer in Rajasthan experiences blackout

  Barmer in Rajasthan is also experiencing a blackout along with several parts of the country as a part of a mock drill exercise.

• 7 May 2025, 08:34:14 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Lights turn back on at Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple

  Lights have started to turn back on gradually at Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple in Delhi after a blackout exercise that started at 8 pm.

• 7 May 2025, 08:27:34 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Lights turn back on in Vijay Chowk, Delhi

  Lights have started to turn back on gradually at Vijay Chowk in Delhi following the blackout exercise which started at 8 pm.

• 7 May 2025, 08:26:53 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Akshardham, Moti Nagar, Khan Market go dark

  A blackout exercise in parts of Delhi has caused Akshardham, Moti Nagar, Khan Market, as well as other places in the NDMC area.

• 7 May 2025, 08:25:16 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Blackout in Gwalior

  A blackout exercise has begun in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, as part of the mock drill ordered by the MHA.

• 7 May 2025, 08:19:18 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Select City Walk mall in Saket goes dark | Visuals

  

  Several stores at Select City Walk mall in Saket went dark during a blackout exercise in parts of the national capital.

• 7 May 2025, 08:14:41 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Blackout begins in Delhi's NDMC area

  In Delhi, the NDMC area, experienced a blackout starting from 8 pm. The area encompasses India Gate, Connaught Place and Lutyens' Delhi, including key landmarks like Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament House, Supreme Court, and the Central Secretariat.

• 7 May 2025, 08:12:37 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Blackout took place in Tripura from 5:30 pm to 5:40 pm

  A blackout took place at key locations in Tripura from 5:30 to 5:40 pm to check the readiness of the areas to face an emergency. A siren was sounded at first to warn residents.

• 7 May 2025, 08:09:17 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Blackout to begin in Amritsar at 10:30 pm 

  Residents have been urged to turn off their lights at 10:30 PM as power supply will be cut for a planned blackout as the nation carries out a mock drill exercise.

  In a video message, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Amritsar, Sakshi Sahni, said, "Mock drill will be carried out in two ways. A siren will be heard at 4 pm, which will be for a simulation exercise... This will broadly be a practice drill. The second drill will be carried out at 10:30 pm, wherein another siren will be heard. There will be a blackout at that time. It is requested that everyone keep their lights off at that time... Power will be normally restored shortly after."

• 7 May 2025, 07:49:04 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Blackout exercise in Gujarat's Surat

  Mock drill live: Blackout exercise was held in Gujarat's Surat as part of the mock drill ordered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

   

• 7 May 2025, 07:44:00 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Yogi Adityanath oversees blackout at Reserve Police Lines, Lucknow

  UP CM Yogi Adityanath supervised the mock drill being held amid a blackout, at Reserve Police Lines in Lucknow.

• 7 May 2025, 07:38:16 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Gurugram to experience full-night blackout

  In Haryana, Gurugram will undergo a full-night blackout as a part of the mock drill exercise, in order to fully experience a no-light zone, according to Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar.

• 7 May 2025, 07:29:27 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Sirens blare as blackout to begin in Shimla

  Sirens were activated after 7 pm to mark the start of a blackout in Shimla, as part of the mock drill ordered by the MHA.

• 7 May 2025, 07:14:59 PM IST

  Mock drill live: Blackout to begin in Bareilly at 8 pm

  A district-wide blackout will occur from 8 PM to 8:10 PM in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly. DM Avinash Singh has urged residents to turn off lights, inverters, and avoid using phones or flashlights.

• 7 May 2025, 07:14:01 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Blackout in parts of Vishakhapatnam

  A blackout took place at 7 PM in Kotha Jalaripeta and Oxygen Towers in Vishakhapatnam.

• 7 May 2025, 07:12:37 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Blackout at Select City Walk, Saket

  As Delhi goes dark for a mock drill exercise, a blackout took place in some stores at the popular Select City Walk mall in Saket at 7 pm, and later again at 7:40 pm.

• 7 May 2025, 07:11:01 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Blackout begins in Noida, Guwahati

  Blackout began in parts of Noida, Uttar Pradesh and Guwahati, Assam at 7 pm.

• 7 May 2025, 07:04:15 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Blackout in CM house, Raj Bhavan in Patna

  As part of a nationwide mock drill exercise, a blackout took place in Patna at the CM's house and Raj Bhavan.

• 7 May 2025, 06:21:16 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Rashtrapati Bhawan, PM residence, hospital ICUs to be exempt from NDMC blackout

  While the NDMC area of Delhi will experience a blackout from 8 pm today, the Rashtrapati Bhawan, PM residence and hospitals ICUs will be exempted.

  Switchyards will be used to cut the power supply of the entire area, which includes Connaught Place and Lutyens. 

• 7 May 2025, 06:02:01 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Blackout in Mumbai's Govandi, Tarapur, more from 8 pm 

  As part of the nationwide mock drill, Mumbai will experience a blackout from 8 pm in the following areas - Anushakti Nagar, Govandi and Atomic colony, Tarapur.

• 7 May 2025, 06:00:49 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Blackout in Delhi's NDMC area from 8 to 8:15 pm

  The NDMC area in Delhi will undergo a blackout from 8:00 pm to 8:15 pm on Wednesday, as per the DDMA. The area comprises of Connaught Place and Lutyens.

• 7 May 2025, 05:57:24 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Three-hour long mock drills underway in Jharkhand

  Blaring sirens marked the beginning of mock drills at six locations in Jharkhand on Wednesday.

  The three-hour-long drills are being conducted in five districts — Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Bokaro, Godda, and Sahibganj — in coordination with civil defence organisations, official added.

• 7 May 2025, 05:39:17 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Volunteers teach people how to deal with injuries in emergency situations

  Civil defence volunteers, police and fire services conducted a mock drill at the Collectorate building in Ernakulam, Kerala, during which they imparted several skills such as how to evacuate people, how to deal with injuries and more.

  One person was shown as injured during the drill. He was given first aid and placed on a stretcher. With the help of the police, he was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance.

  The drill aimed to check how quickly and safely rescue teams can respond during a war-like emergency.

• 7 May 2025, 05:36:58 PM IST

  India mock drill live: This is how an evacuation exercise was carried out in Kerala

  In Ernakulam, Kerala, at the Collectorate building on Wednesday, a nation-wide mandated mock drill started with an alarm blaring and the lights were switched off.

  The building became dark and windows were closed to create a real-life emergency setting. Then, a fire was simulated on the upper floors. Smoke spread, and the building was quickly filled with darkness.

  Rescue operations (as practice) began immediately. Firefighters, police teams, and civil defence volunteers took part in the drill to safely evacuate all the people in the building.

  The district collector also supervised and participated in the drill.

• 7 May 2025, 05:32:45 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Sirens blare at IGI airport, RBI building and more

  Sirens were sounded at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Wednesday as the nation goes through mock drills. Fire brigade teams were rushed to the spot along with a team of doctors and multiple ambulances.

  A mock drill was also conducted in the RBI building with instructions being given to stay away from glass windows and find a safe place to hide covering heads with both hands.

• 7 May 2025, 05:11:55 PM IST

  India mock drill live:  Bengaluru practices rescue operations, evacuations

  In Bengaluru around 4 pm on Wednesday, mock drills were carried out as part of ‘Operation Abhyaas’ in line with directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

  According to PTI, soon after the siren blew at 3.48 pm in various locations, the civil defence personnel, police, fire and emergency services personnel swung into action.

  Drills included rescue operations in the event of fire, removing people from debris, evacuation of people from high rises and medical emergency services.

  The drill was over in half-an-hour.

• 7 May 2025, 04:54:22 PM IST

  India mock drill live: Delhi's mega mock-drills commence across 55 locations

  In Delhi, as part of a nation-wide exercise, mock drills simulating multiple hostile scenarios like air raids, multiple fire emergencies, and search and rescue operations among others were carried out on Wednesday.

  PCR vans and fire engines were stationed at multiple locations while there was a heavy deployment of security personnel and civil defence volunteers.

  At Khan Market, alarm sirens were played and people were asked to run as part of the evacuation drill that was carried out.

  In Chandni Chowk, a mock drill was carried out in the presence of civil defence volunteers, personnel and NCC cadets.

• 7 May 2025, 04:47:53 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Mock security drills conducted across Delhi, see visuals

  Civil defence drills were conducted across the national capital on Wednesday after the orders by the Home Ministry. Apart from several key locations, mock drills were also conducted in many schools across Delhi. See visuals from King’s Court, GK-2; Khan Market; DLF Capital Green’s, Moti Nagar; Sahyog Apartment, east Delhi.

• 7 May 2025, 04:25:43 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Mock security drill held at Mumbai's Cross Maidan

  A civil defence mock drill was carried out at Mumbai's Cross Maidan on Wednesday. The Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday had ordered a nationwide mock drill to be conducted today.

  During the drill, which meant to review preparedness during the time of crisis, started with sirens going off and then civil defence staff tending to those in need. See video. 

• 7 May 2025, 04:13:07 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Evacuation drills held at 4 schools in Kolkata

  Evacuation drills were conducted by four private schools in Kolkata on Wednesday to assess the preparedness among students in case of an exigency on the backdrop of the tensions between India and Pakistan.

  The drills were conducted at DPS-Ruby Park, La Martiniere for Boys, La Martiniere for Girls and Future Foundation School.

  A spokesperson for the two La Martiniere schools said the drills were conducted by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) wings based on instructions from the government.

  "The entire exercise took place within 30 minutes, to make students well-versed about procedures required in case of an emergency. Students were very enthusiastic and eager to participate in the exercise," he said. (PTI)

• 7 May 2025, 04:01:47 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Security drill conducted at Mumbai's CSMT station

  Emergency mock drills are being conducted across the country to assess and strengthen disaster preparedness. As part of this nationwide initiative, Civil Defence teams conducted a comprehensive mock drill at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) Railway Station in Mumbai. Visuals from CSMT show personnel in action simulating emergency scenarios such as bomb threats, coordinated evacuations, medical emergencies, and crowd control operations. (PTI)

• 7 May 2025, 03:55:04 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Security drill conducted in Siliguri school in West Bengal

  A civil defence mock drill was carried out at a school in West Bengal's Siliguri on Wednesday after directions issued by the Union Home Ministry. 

  Security personnel briefed students and teachers on how to be prepared for a crisis situation during the drill. 

• 7 May 2025, 03:38:42 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Mock drill conducted at Mumbai's Lokmanya Tilak Terminus

  

  The Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police conducted a mock drill at Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) station after the orders by Home Ministry. 

  The nationwide mock drill, codenamed ‘Operation Abhyaas,’ will be conducted at 244 locations across India to “assess preparedness for emerging and complex threats.” 

• 7 May 2025, 03:28:17 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Mock drill conducted at Varanasi' Kashi Vishwanath Temple

  As part of the civil defence drills directed by the Home Ministry, alert sounded at Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. Security agencies, bomb squad and NDRF are present at the spot with full preparedness, says PTI.

• 7 May 2025, 03:22:42 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: From cash to candles- What to keep in your emergency kit for the mega mock drill today

  During the mock drills, citizens are advised to prepare emergency kits at home with key items that will help during blackouts and in case of medical emergencies.

  This includes first aid kits, torches, candles and cash. Citizens are advised to keep some cash at hand in case to navigate situations where mobile devices and digital transactions may fail.

  The Centre has said that the mock drills are being held to improve civil defense preparedness for a possible India-Pakistan war scenario.

  “Staying calm and prepared during emergencies or hostile situations is key to ensuring national security. Regular drills and awareness of such plans can help citizens respond effectively in critical situations,” the National Disaster Management Authority said in a post on X. Read more.

• 7 May 2025, 03:14:08 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Security mock drill conducted at Botanical Garden metro station in Noida

  A civil defence mock drill was conducted at Noida's Botanical Garden metro station as part of an emergency preparedness initiative. The drill was a coordinated effort involving local police, Civil Defence personnel, and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to simulate a real-time emergency scenario and test the readiness of response teams, reported PTI. See video.

• 7 May 2025, 03:10:40 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: What to avoid during mock drills

  Don'ts

  -Do not use mobile phones during the drill to keep communication lines free for emergencies.

  -Do not leave lights on or use any visible lighting during the blackout.

  -Avoid entering restricted areas or locations under camouflage by authorities.

  -Do not share photos, videos or sensitive details of the drill or local facilities on social media.

  -Avoid panic or confusion—this is a drill to improve preparedness, not an actual emergency.

  -Do not ignore the sirens or instructions issued by civil defence or DDMA teams.

• 7 May 2025, 03:02:52 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Things to know during mock drills

  DOs:

  -Familiarise yourself with siren sounds:

  Long wails indicate an air-raid alert.

  Short bursts signal an all-clear.

  -Locate the nearest shelter such as:

  Basements

  Underground car parks

  Designated safe zones

  -Keep an emergency kit ready, including:

  Torch

  Water bottles

  Basic medicines

  Emergency contacts

  -Stop all outdoor activities immediately when the siren is sounded.

  -Move quickly to the nearest shelter and remain there until all-clear is declared.

  -Switch off all lights and use blackout measures like:

  Thick curtains or blinds

  Turning off or covering light-emitting devices (TVs, phones, tablets)

  Simulate a blackout with your family to test preparedness.

  Report any unfamiliar or suspicious activity to the authorities.

  -Participate in community training sessions, especially:

  First aid

  Emergency responses for children

  Safe space identification at home and school

  Ensure the elderly and children are included in all steps of the drill.

  -Prepare a go-bag with:

  Snacks

  Water

  Medicines

  Emergency contacts and IDs

  Follow all instructions from trainers and authorities.

  -Schools must:

  Conduct training sessions for students and teachers

  Play the demonstration video

  Submit reports and photographs of the drill to district education offices

• 7 May 2025, 02:45:22 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Bihar ‘all prepared’ for mock drill, says DGP Vinay Kumar

  Bihar will conduct the civic defence mock drills on Wednesday, which include simulating air raid sirens, blackouts, and evacuation plans. 

  Speaking with ANI, DGP of Bihar, Vinay Kumar, said that the state is prepared to conduct the mock drills and assured that all the preparations for it have been made.

  "Bihar is all prepared for the mock drill. We also held a meeting with all our departments. All the arrangements have been made. Some districts have been kept on standby, too...We will also explain to the public what to do and what not to do... They are also being made aware of the procedure," he said. (ANI)

• 7 May 2025, 02:19:42 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: How Delhi is preparing for security mock drills

  Teams across Delhi’s districts have been instructed to identify and prepare safe buildings and demilitarised zones for mock evacuations.

  At least one hospital, government office, market and residential complex has been earmarked in each district, with the occupants being briefed hours before the exercise.

  In parallel, the Delhi government has launched a large-scale safety training campaign in schools. Around 500–700 schools will participate, where DDMA and civil defence officials will teach students shelter protocols and emergency preparedness. These drills will occur earlier in the day, ahead of the main 4pm drill. Some of such drills have already taken place at several schools across the national capital.

  According to internal planning documents, accessed by HT, a total of 660 schools — 550 private and 110 government — along with 40 market and civilian locations, have been selected for this special training. The Delhi government’s Directorate of Education (DoE) and DMs have been instructed to coordinate the sessions.

• 7 May 2025, 02:08:11 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: What Kiran Bedi said on security mock drills

  Former IPS officer and former LG of Puducherry Kiren Bedi on Tuesday said that mock drills called by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) across various cities in India are not a cause to "worry" about but a self-assurance that everyone is coming together.

  Bedi added that people are now taking responsibility to protect themselves in different situation, adding that "preparation is prevention."

  Speaking with ANI, Kiren Bedi said. "It's a cause for not to worry but it causes self-assurance and greater assurance because now we the people of India, the youth of India, the energetic of India, the healthy of India, men and women and the youth all coming together for each other. They're all coming for themselves and each other. They are taking responsibility for each other and themselves, and how to protect themselves in different situations. So, I think preparation is prevention." (ANI)

• 7 May 2025, 01:48:37 PM IST

  India mock drill live updates: Security drill conducted at schools across Delhi

  Students and teachers across Delhi took part in a safety drill on Wednesday, aimed at strengthening emergency preparedness that included practising orderly evacuations, taking shelter under desks, and switching off electrical appliances when the siren sounded.

  At Amity School in Saket, Principal Divya Bhatia said the exercise began at 8.45 am with a briefing during the morning assembly.

  "We explained the purpose of the mock drill and the steps students needed to follow. After the briefing, we conducted the drill so they could understand the process in a hands-on manner," she said. (PTI)