Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday launched Operation Abhyas, a nationwide civil defence mock drill, aimed at testing preparedness for emergency scenarios across 244 districts.
The Ministry of External Affairs had issued the directive on May 5 for the drill, which was carried out today in key urban and sensitive areas including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chandigarh. States such as West Bengal, Rajasthan, Assam, and Punjab were also part of the operation.
The extensive mock exercise included the simulation of incoming air raids accompanied by siren activations and blackout procedures. Other components of the drill included handling urban fire emergencies, conducting search and rescue operations, evacuating casualties, setting up temporary hospitals, and moving civilians to demilitarised zones or underground bunkers.
Operation Abhyas was conducted across various institutions and public spaces, including hospitals, schools, and government offices. Notable drills took place in Visakhapatnam, Vidya Bal Bhavan School in Delhi, and Imphal, where emergency response teams practiced coordinated disaster management and public safety protocols.
The Ministry said that the goal of the drill was to ensure that both the public and the authorities are adequately trained and equipped to respond swiftly and effectively in the event of a real emergency.
