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

A large-scale nationwide mock drill, codenamed ‘Operation Abhyaas,’ will be conducted today at 244 locations across India to “assess preparedness for emerging and complex threats.” Scheduled to begin at 4 pm, the drills will help assess the response to emergency events such as air raids, blackouts, and evacuations.

Click here to see the full list of 244 cities where mock drills will take place.

Sixty air raid sirens will blare across Delhi at around 4pm on Wednesday, signalling the start of “Operation Abhyaas”, a nationwide civil defence mock drill that will mobilise thousands of volunteers, police officers, rescue teams and bureaucrats in response to simulated hostile scenarios.

The drill will recreate a range of emergencies—from air raids and urban fires to casualty evacuations and temporary hospital setups—with an aim to test the national capital’s wartime readiness and civilian resilience. As part of the exercise, Delhi will see coordinated action at over 55 locations, five in each of the city’s 11 districts, officials aware of the plan said.

“The drill will begin with the sirens warning of an incoming air raid. This will trigger blackout procedures, communication with the Indian Air Force, activation of control rooms, and evacuation protocols,” said an official involved in planning. “The idea is to mimic a multi-layered crisis and test our coordinated response, not just as a formality but as a show of serious preparedness.”

Civil defence mock drills will be conducted in four locations in Hyderabad on May 7 in accordance with the instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a senior Telangana official said on Tuesday.

A full-scale mock drill involving police, fire services, and a disaster response force would be organised in four locations in the city on Wednesday, he told PTI.

The official further said to create awareness among the general public, sirens will be activated at 4 pm (Incoming Air Raid) in the city within Outer Ring Road (ORR) and there will be another activation of sirens at 4.30 pm to close the mock drill.

"Sirens will be activated at 4 pm and 4.30 pm within ORR and people are voluntarily expected to seek shelter and then take cover," the official said. (PTI)

In Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly, a 10-minute blackout will be observed as a part of the security mock drill on Wednesday, said  officials. 

The blackout will be observed across Bareilly with key focus on Indian Veterinary Research Institute campus, the road in front of it and surrounding areas, according to the directive issued by District Magistrate and Civil Defence Controller Avinash Singh, reported PTI.

People have ben requested to switch off all lights during the blackout, along with those powered by inverters, the order said. They have also been asked to avoid using matches, mobile phones, torches or flashlights during the blackout period. 

In Sikkim, civil defence mock drills will be held in Gangtok and Singtam towns on Wednesday, said a statement issued by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA).

According to the statement, the mock drill will be conducted to enhance awareness among the people, test emergency systems, and strengthen coordination among the civil defence, SDRF, fire services, and the public, reported PTI.

In Singtam town, the drill will be conducted from 4 pm to 5 pm, starting with siren broadcasts across, followed by an assumed air strike at the NHPC power house in Balutar, it said.

Fire services and rescue teams will respond with mock operations, including evacuation of casualties to the Singtam district hospital, it added.

In Gangtok, the drill will be held from 9 pm to 9.30 pm with siren broadcasts. A complete blackout will be observed, with residents required to switch off lights and stay indoors.

Power will be temporarily shut down during the blackout, and diesel generator sets, inverters, and solar lights should also be shut down in all commercial establishments, government offices, and private residences, the statement said. (PTI)

Dehradun is preparing for a civil defense mock drill on Wednesday, which includes simulating air raid sirens, blackouts, and evacuation plans. This nationwide drill, mandated by the Ministry of Home Affairs, is part of a larger exercise to assess preparedness for potential security threats, particularly in light of rising tensions with Pakistan.

Dehradun District Magistrate Savin Basnal and Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh held a meeting with the officers associated with the army, paramilitary force, Civil Defense wardens, volunteers and IRS system in Rishiparna Auditorium Collectorate and gave necessary instructions regarding the mock drill to be held nationwide on May 7.

People will be alerted by sounding siren/hooter at 05 places under Dehradun district, namely Dhara Police Chowki, Blind School Rajpur Road, Lakhkhibagh Police Station, District Magistrate Complex Collectorate Dehradun, ISBT, Araghar Police Chowki. (PTI)

A mock drill was conducted at the Kerala School in central Delhi following the directions of Home Ministry. The students of the school who participated in the drill hid under their desks.

A mock drill was conducted by the District Inspector Of School at Amity school sector 44, Noida, India, on Wednesday. This comes after the Home Ministry directed that civil defense mock drills are to be conducted across India on Wednesday to review India's preparedness in the time of crisis. 

Despite the scheduled war mock drill, banks are open today across the country. No official holiday or closure notice has been issued for May 7.

Banking services, including ATMs, online banking, and mobile apps, are fully operational. Stock markets are also functioning normally.

However, banks will remain closed on several upcoming dates. On May 9 (Thursday), banks in West Bengal and Kolkata will be shut in observance of Rabindranath Tagore's birth anniversary.

This will be followed by a nationwide bank holiday on May 10 (Saturday) due to the RBI-mandated second Saturday off. Additionally, on May 11 (Sunday), all banks, including the State Bank of India (SBI), will be closed as part of the regular weekly holiday. Read more.

The civil defence mock drills will be conducted at two locations here, on May 7, in accordance with the instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), said an official on Tuesday, reported PTI.

Visakhapatnam district Collector M N Harendhira Prasad said two locations -- Kotha Jalaripeta and Oxygen Towers -- have been chosen for the drill.

"Tomorrow's (Wednesday) mock drill we are planning in two locations. One in the old town, near the old post office, Kotha Jalaripeta and the second one is in the Oxygen Towers," Prasad told PTI.

The Chandigarh administration will conduct a 10-minute blackout drill on Wednesday and appealed to residents to turn off electricity on their premises during the exercise.

The blackout drill will be conducted from 7:30 pm to 7:40 pm on Wednesday, Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav told reporters.

As part of the drill, air raid warning sirens will be activated at 7:30 pm and continue for 10 minutes.

"I appeal to all citizens to switch off the lights in their homes for 10 minutes. If possible, they should remain at home so that the preparation for a blackout can be conducted," Yadav said. (PTI)

All educational institutions including schools, and colleges across India will stay open on May 7 in most areas. However, schools in parts of some states such as Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan have been shut following ‘Operation Sindoor’. In Rajasthan, all schools in four border districts have been closed following air strikes in Pakistan by Indian forces.

Banks will mostly remain open on Wednesday. All public transport services such as metros, buses, trains and flights will also run as scheduled. However, some airports have been closed on Wednesday after India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’.

Essential services such as hospitals, emergency response teams, and utilities will also remain fully functional. Read full story.

The primary objectives of the mock drill are as follows:

– To assess the effectiveness of air raid warning systems.

– Operationalisation of hotline/radio communication links with the Indian Air Force.

– To test the functionality of control rooms and shadow control rooms.

– Training of civilians, students, etc, on the civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of hostile attack.

– Provision of crash black out measures.

– Provision for early camouflaging of vital plants / installations to verify the activation and response of civil defence services, including warden

– Services, firefighting, rescue operations, and depot management.

– To assess the implementation of crash blackout measures.

– To evaluate the preparedness of evacuation plans and their execution.

A mock drill was conducted at a madrasa in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow on Wednesday following the orders by the Union Home Ministry.

According to the government notice, activities during the mock drills may include:

– Operationalisation of Air Raid Warning Sirens

– Operationalisation of Hotline/Radio Communication Links with the Indian Air Force.

– Activation and Manning of Control Rooms/Shadow Control Rooms

– Training of civilians, students, etc, on the Civil Defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of hostile attack.

– Activation of Civil Defence Services, especially, warden services, firefighting, rescue service, depot, etc.

– Provision of crash black out measures

– Provision for early camouflaging of vital plants/installations

– Updation of CD Plan & its rehearsal

– Updation of evacuation plan & its rehearsal

– Cleaning of bunkers, trenches, etc.

According to Additional Commissioner of Police Law and order S Channappa said, a mock drill was organised in Reserve police lines, Varanasi to make people aware about the methods to be followed to keep them safe in case of emergency.

Channappa said that National Disaster Response Force team gave a high quality demonstration of first aid, CPR and Fire Department Varanasi gave a demonstration of various methods of rescue/prevention in case of gas cylinder catching fire through demos. In addition, other units related to the police department as well as various departments and organizations participated in the mock drill, added Channappa.

For those wondering about mock drill timing today, all major drills are expected to start at 4 PM on 7th May 2025 across India, with variations depending on local administration.

Delhi: The mock drill will run from 4 PM to 7 PM.

Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh): Drill rescheduled to 4 PM, taking place at the Reserve Police Lines, as per SSP B Murthy.

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

Kerala: Mock drills in 14 districts will begin at 4 PM, according to official sources.

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh): Air raid simulation at Kotha Jalaripeta will begin at 4 PM. A blackout will follow at 7 PM in Kotha Jalaripeta and Oxygen Towers.

Dehradun (Uttarakhand): At 4 PM, sirens and hooters will sound at five key locations including Dhara Police Chowki and the District Magistrate Complex.

Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu): The drill at Madras Atomic Power Station and Chennai Port Trust will be held from 4 PM to 4:30 PM.

Here’s the full list of location where drills will be held across Delhi’s 11 districts:

North Delhi: G3S Cinema Mall, Sector 11, Rohini; Rohini Sector 18-19 Metro Station; Babu Jag Jivan Ram Hospital Jhangirpuri; M2K Victoria Garden, Azadpur; The Maan School, Holambi Khurd.

South Delhi: Select Citywalk Mall, Saket; Birla Vidya Niketan School Pushp Vihar; Sitaram Bharatiya Instititue of Science & Research, Mehrauli; Anupam Apartment, Saket; District Court Complex, Saket.

East Delhi: Maharishi Valmiki College of Education; Scope Minar; DM East Office; Kondli market; Sahyog Apartment, Mayur Vihar Phase-1.

West Delhi: District Magistrate’s office and MCD East Zone Office, Raja Garden; Rajouri Garden J-Block Market; DLF Capital Greens, Moti Nagar; SKV Mundka; DDU Hospital Hari Nagar

North West Delhi: Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh; House no. 156, Village Madanpur Dabas; City Centre Mall, Sector10 Rohini; Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalya Bus Stand, Main Chowk Bawana Road; DDA office Madhuban Chowk

South Delhi: West Vegas Mall; Nirmal Bharti Public School; NHAI Building; Dwarka Sector-10 Metro Station; BPCL Bijwasan

South East Delhi: DLF King Court, GK-2; Apollo Hospital; Central Market, Lajpat Nagar; GBSSS No. 1, Madanpur Khadar; Dy Director of Education Office, Defence Colony

New Delhi: T3, IGI Airport; Charak Palika Hospital; Khan Market; D-6 Residential Colony; Vasant Vihar Kendriya Vidyalaya 2 Delhi Cantt; NDMC Office Building

Central Delhi: MCD Civic Centre, Near Ram Leela Maidan; Govt Hospital Burari; Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant; RWA Prasad Nagar Karol Bagh; Chandni Chowk Main Market Near Town Hall

Shahdara: SKV Nand Nagri; ESIC Hospital Chota Bazaar; J/K Bl, Dil Garden; PWD pump house

North East Delhi: DM Office Complex Nand Nagri; VSAS Karawal Nagar, Veer Savarkar Bhagat Vihar; Seelampur Market; Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, Yamuna Vihar; Govt Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya No. 1 C Block Yamuna Vihar

All schools have been closed in four border districts of Rajasthan following strikes in Pakistan by Indian forces, an official said. An official stated that all government and private schools in Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer districts have been closed as a precautionary measure. These districts are located along the India-Pakistan border, and the western Rajasthan region is currently on high alert.

A mock drill, according to instructions from the government, is also scheduled to take place.

“Schools have been closed, and all preparations for the mock drills have been completed,” the official added. Read more.

Preparations for Civil Defence mock drill being held by Odisha Fire and Disaster Management Department in Bhubaneswar. See video.

The Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is fully prepared for the Civil Defence mock drills to be held on Wednesday, an official said. On Tuesday afternoon, senior bureaucrats including officials from the National Disaster Response Force , Civil Defence, held a meeting and planned areas for mock drills to sensitise the local residents and tourists on how to act while maintaining precautions during an emergency, the official said.

Deputy Commissioner of South Andaman, Arjun Sharma said, "The strategic location of Andaman and Nicobar Island is very important as far as India's maritime security is concerned. Also, it is located in the middle of the sea and therefore from time to time we have given importance and conducted several mock drills in the past too. We are fully prepared for the mock drills and finalisation of the civil defence exercise has been done as per the advisory issued from the MHA." (PTI)

On the placid waters of picturesque Dal Lake, Srinagar police, in coordination with tourist police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), conducted mock drills for emergency preparedness.

“A comprehensive mock drill on the Dal Lake was held and it focused on response preparedness for contingency scenarios such as boat capsizing and drowning incidents,” a J&K Police spokesperson said, adding that police and SDRF personnel, equipped with necessary resources and gear, practised rescue and response procedures in real-time with an aim to mitigate effective rescue and response measures in accordance with established guidelines and safety protocols.

“SDRF teams have enhanced capacity building and logistical support to contain any future contingencies,” the spokesperson added. Read more.

In Gurugram, Deputy commissioner (DC) Ajay Kumar, who is overseeing the mock drill exercise, said the goal is to test the alertness and coordination of emergency response systems and citizens. “This exercise is a crucial part of our disaster management preparedness,” Kumar said. “We urge everyone to participate and follow all instructions.”

A command and control centre will be established in the Mini Secretariat’s conference hall, while the Tau Devi Lal Stadium will serve as the main dispatch base for emergency and rescue teams.

Five task forces—each comprising medical teams, fire brigades, ambulances, civil defence volunteers, and police personnel—will carry out real-time evacuation and relief simulations across various locations in the district. These teams will function under the supervision of dedicated task force managers, officials said. Read more.

Follwing Home Ministry's orders, a comprehensive civil defence mock drill will be conducted across all districts of Tripura on May 7.

The District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), in collaboration with the District Civil Defence Corps, will spearhead the exercise, ensuring active involvement from various emergency and disaster response agencies.

The drill aims to evaluate the readiness, efficiency, and coordination among civil defence units and allied departments in managing potential hostile attacks and emergencies. (PTI)