Gujarat will conduct a large-scale civil defence mock drill on Wednesday, involving more than 57,000 personnel and volunteers, as directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). This initiative follows the recent terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives and has led to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.
The drill is part of a national directive issued to several states, particularly those sharing borders with Pakistan, including Punjab, Rajasthan, and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Gujarat, which also shares a border with Pakistan, has been instructed to carry out the drill to enhance emergency preparedness and civil defence readiness in the event of a hostile attack.
According to a national daily, a total of 13,000 civil defence volunteers and 44,000 home guards will take part in the exercise, which will be held across urban areas in the state, including all major cities.&nbsp;
The operation will include air raid warning sirens, public information speaker systems, civilian awareness campaigns, blackouts, and emergency evacuation protocols.
Streetlights will be switched off by municipal authorities, while residents will be asked to turn off the lights in their homes to simulate blackout conditions. The drill will also cover protective civil defence protocols, camouflaging critical infrastructure, and the rehearsal of updated evacuation plans.&nbsp;
Officials said the exercise will be conducted in a systematic and disciplined manner to replicate a real emergency scenario.
Instructions have already been sent from Gandhinagar for all personnel to report to their respective companies. On Tuesday, a state-level video conference will be held to coordinate the operation, involving police officials, district collectors, municipal commissioners, and representatives from state and private power distribution companies, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Roads and Buildings Department.
Director General of Civil Defence and Commandant General of Home Guards, DGP Manoj Agrawal, confirmed that around 14,000 Civil Defence volunteers across 14 districts will be involved. &ldquo;The Home Guards will also be involved in the exercise,&rdquo; he told a section of the media.
The Directorate General of Civil Defence will oversee the implementation of the drills, according to sources. Officials said that the exercise is necessary due to a lack of public familiarity with blackout procedures, with the last such orders having been imposed during the Kargil conflict in 1999.
&ldquo;This generation does not know what to do during blackouts and air raids. Awareness regarding what steps to take during times of national emergencies needs to be communicated to the common public and the state government would take these steps to ensure full readiness,&rdquo; a senior official said.&nbsp;
The MHA directive comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held multiple meetings with top defence and intelligence officials. These included engagements with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, and Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.&nbsp;
The Prime Minister&rsquo;s meeting with NSA Doval lasted several hours and was attended by senior members of the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office.
Such drills were last conducted statewide in Gujarat in 2019 following the Pulwama attack. Prior to that, similar measures were undertaken during Operation Parakram in 2001&ndash;02 and during the Kargil conflict.&nbsp;
The current drills are expected to be held over a span of two to three days, with the aim of keeping both the public and civil defence forces on high alert amid the escalating situation.
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Gujarat will conduct a large-scale civil defence drill on May 7, involving 57,000 personnel amid rising tensions

Gujarat Readies for Statewide Civil Defence Exercise

Gujarat will conduct a large-scale civil defence drill on May 7, involving 57,000 personnel amid rising tensions

May 6, 2025 | 19:38 IST