Siren blares at Delhi's ITO as part of test drill amid rising tensions with Pakistan
The test was carried out by the civil defence directorate at the multi-storey PWD building in ITO, where an air raid siren has been installed.
As tensions between India and Pakistan escalate, air raid sirens sounded in parts of the national capital on Friday during a mock drill to assess emergency readiness.
The test was carried out by the civil defence directorate at the multi-storey PWD building in ITO, where an air raid siren has been installed.
The exercise comes a day after India thwarted an attempt by Pakistan to target military installations near the border. Early Friday morning, loud explosions were heard in Jammu city, leading to a complete blackout.
Earlier, officials had urged the public not to panic, stressing that the drill was part of a routine emergency preparedness exercise. The district magistrate (central), G Sudhakar, advised residents to remain calm and assured them that the sirens were part of a scheduled test.
The directorate of information and publicity also took steps to raise awareness through social and electronic media to avoid any public confusion.
The testing began at 3 pm and continued for 15-20 minutes. Police personnel were deployed to prevent confusion among the public and ensure that the siren was taken solely as part of the drill.
The district administration had notified key officials across various departments, including the lieutenant governor, chief minister, cabinet ministers, chief secretary, and Delhi’s commissioner of police, about the exercise.
Authorities in Ambala district also issued an air warning on Friday morning after receiving an alert from the local Air Force station.
An official statement from the deputy commissioner (DC) of Ambala said that sirens had been sounded throughout the city to alert residents. The public was advised to stay indoors and avoid balconies or terraces.
As an additional precaution, the deputy commissioner ordered a complete blackout in the district, with all lights to be turned off from 8 pm to 6 am.
Meanwhile, sirens were also sounded across Chandigarh as a precautionary measure after the city received an alert from the local Air Force station regarding a potential attack.
