Mock drills in India: Sirens, blackouts, evacuations amid Pakistan standoff

In line with a Ministry of Home Affairs directive, several ‘civil defence districts’ nationwide experienced blackouts, among several other measures which were a part of a mock drill exercise to improve war-time preparedness.

Follow LIVE updates on the mock drills here

The mock drill exercise was conducted as India retaliated against Pakistan, amid rising tensions between the two countries following the Pahalgam terror attack and the ‘Operation Sindoor’ that Indian armed forces conducted on Wednesday to neutralise nine terror targets in Pakistan.

As part of the mock drills, parts of India, especially metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai, saw air raid sirens beeping, evacuation procedures, fire drills and more on Wednesday.

Here's everything you need to know about the blackouts:

- In Delhi, the NDMC area, experienced a blackout from 8 to 8:15 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. Power supply for the entire area was cut out straight from the switchyards. Lights began to gradually turn on for several locations including the North and South Block of parliament.

- Around the same time, other areas of Delhi such as Akshardham, Khan Market and Moti Nagar also went dark.

Also Read: Gurugram to simulate air raid, blackout in mock drill today

- The Rashtrapati Bhawan, PM Modi's residence - 7, Lok Kalyan Marg and the Intensive Care Units (ICU) of hospitals and metro stations in the area were exempted from the blackout.

Also Read: From blackouts to air-raid sirens, Ghaziabad braces for mother of all drills today

- A blackout also took place in parts of Patna, Bihar, including the Raj Bhavan and chief minister's house.

- After warnings from sirens, a blackout also began around 7:30 pm in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla.

- Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior, Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Katni also experienced a blackout from 7:30 to 7:42 pm. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav reviewed the blackout during the state-wide civil defence mock drill on video conference with the State Command Centre.

- In Haryana, Gurugram was to 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.

- In Uttar Pradesh, parts of Noida and Ghaziabad went dark, while the entire district of Bareilly experienced a blackout from 8 to 8:10 pm. Bareilly district magistrate Avinash Singh urged residents to avoid using inverters, flashlights and phones. 

- UP CM Yogi Adityanath also supervised a mock drill being held amid a blackout, at Reserve Police Lines in Lucknow. Lights also went out in Ghaziabad. 

Also Read: From sirens to silence: How Mumbai lost its daily wail

- In Mumbai, a blackout took place at 8 pm Today at 8 pm in Anushakti Nagar, Govandi and Atomic colony, Tarapur.

- A blackout exercise was also held in Gujarat's Surat, Bhuj and Ahmedabad as part of the mock drill. The Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Narmada also went dark earlier on Wednesday.

-Vishakhapatnam also experienced a blackout at 7 PM in Kotha Jalaripeta and Oxygen Towers, right after an air-raid simulation to test preparedness in the face of an emergency.

- 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.

- Residents in Amritsar were urged to turn off their lights during a blackout scheduled at 10:30 pm, after which power was restored. A siren announced the blackout to prepare citizens, stated Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sahni. A blackout also took place in a mall in Mohali and in Chandigarh.