Chandigarh conducts blackout drill amidst rising Pakistan tensions

The Chandigarh administration will conduct a 10-minute blackout drill on Wednesday and appealed to residents to turn off electricity on their premises during the exercise.

The move comes in wake of the Union home ministry directing all states to conduct mock drills on Wednesday, given the "new and complex threats" that have emerged amid rising tensions with Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam attack.

The blackout drill will be conducted from 7:30 pm to 7:40 pm on Wednesday, Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav told reporters.

As part of the drill, air raid warning sirens will be activated at 7:30 pm and continue for 10 minutes.

"I appeal to all citizens to switch off the lights in their homes for 10 minutes. If possible, they should remain at home so that the preparation for a blackout can be conducted," Yadav said.

Confirming that power at hospitals, clinics and medical institutions will not be switched off during the drill, he advised residents to keep their generator or inverter sets shut.

He also appealed against hoarding essentials such as petrol, diesel and ration.

The Chandigarh deputy commissioner said the administration had spoken to residents' welfare and market associations regarding the drill and added shopkeepers at markets and malls were urged to turn off their lights.

"If people are outside for work, they should park their vehicles and turn off its lights," he said.

The blackout drill will be conducted in a controlled and supervised manner to assess response and adaptability of emergency services, Yadav said.

"It is a preparatory step and we do not need to panic. The alarm will shut at 7:40 pm and business will be as usual after that," he added.

He also confirmed that the drill was voluntary.

The exercise is a part of the administration's continued efforts to evaluate and enhance the efficacy of emergency response mechanisms in real-time situations.

It will involve coordinated participation from multiple agencies, including fire and emergency services, police, health department, municipal corporation and disaster management authorities.

Trained volunteers from the Civil Defence, National Service Scheme and the National Cadet Corps will play an active role.

The deputy commissioner appealed for full cooperation from the public during the drill.

He requested residents to remain calm, avoid panic and not believe or circulate any rumours regarding the day's activities.

The drill is purely a preparedness exercise and does not pose any real threat. Such mock drills shall be carried out in the coming days, Yadav said.

In view of strengthening disaster preparedness and enhancing coordination among emergency response agencies, the Chandigarh deputy commissioner convened a comprehensive review meeting with key stakeholders on Tuesday.

The meeting focused on the execution plan and logistical preparedness for a full-scale mock drill for building collapse and fire incident at two locations, according to an official release.

Meanwhile, the Mohali district administration said a mock drill would be conducted at two sites.

District Magistrate Komal Mittal said two academic and industrial sites would undergo an evacuation exercise to assess the effectiveness of air-raid warning systems.

A blackout drill will also be conducted from 7:30 pm to 7:40 pm.