Chandigarh, May 6: Preparations are in full swing for mock drills at 20 locations across Punjab on Wednesday, as part of a nationwide exercise ordered by the Union Home Ministry to strengthen readiness in light of evolving security threats, particularly after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
“Mock drills will be conducted in cities including Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Patiala, Pathankot, Barnala, and Mohali,” Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Tuesday.
“Preparations are almost complete, and the guidelines issued by the Home Ministry will be strictly followed,” he added.
Cheema explained that the objective of the drills is to enhance public awareness and test emergency protocols.
“These exercises are crucial for preparing civilians and authorities for any future eventuality,” he said.
In Ferozepur, Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma announced that six civil defence sirens would be sounded between 7 and 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday as part of the build-up to the drill.
“These sirens are purely precautionary—there’s no reason for alarm,” she clarified.
Further, a blackout rehearsal is scheduled in the Ferozepur region from 9 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
A senior police official confirmed that police patrols will be deployed during the exercise to ensure security and simulate emergency response measures.
The drills are not limited to Punjab. Similar exercises will be carried out in Haryana, covering Ambala, Faridabad, Gurugram, Hisar, Panchkula, Panipat, and Rohtak.
A communication from the Home Ministry outlined the scope of the drills, calling for the activation of air-raid sirens, crash-blackout procedures, camouflaging of vital installations, and the cleaning and inspection of bunkers and trenches.
The drills will also test evacuation plans, hotline and radio-communication systems with the Indian Air Force (IAF), and the readiness of control and shadow control rooms.
The ministry emphasized broad-based participation in the drills, involving district authorities, civil defence wardens, home guards (active and reservists), NCC and NSS volunteers, NYKS members, and school and college students.
“These measures are aimed at preparing both the public and officials for scenarios of hostile attacks, reflecting the current security climate,” the ministry noted in its letter to the chief secretaries and Union Territory administrators.
