Mock Drill in Shimla Simulates Air Raid Scenario; 10-Minute Blackout Held in the Evening
Blackout in Shimla
Shimla, May 7:
A large-scale mock drill was conducted in Shimla on Wednesday to assess the city’s preparedness in the event of an aerial attack. The exercise was carried out at two key locations — the Deputy Commissioner’s Office and the Sanjauli multi-level parking area — with sirens sounding at 4:00 PM to mark the start of Operation Abhyas. As part of the drill, a citywide blackout was observed from 7:20 PM to 7:30 PM, during which all lights were switched off and shops remained closed.
At the DC Office, the scenario involved a simulated fire at the State Disaster Management Office following an airstrike. Within moments of the siren, emergency teams sprang into action. The fire department arrived on the scene within two minutes, followed swiftly by teams from the police, SDRF, Home Guards, the Army, and the Health Department. The Army conducted a quick reconnaissance of the building, after which the Home Guards entered and began rescue operations. Three simulated casualties were evacuated and given first aid on site.
In Sanjauli, the drill scenario involved an airstrike resulting in four injured civilians and one fatality. Upon receiving the alert, emergency services mobilized quickly. Firefighters reached the scene within ten minutes, extinguished the blaze, and transported the injured to IGMC Hospital for treatment. Officials present at the site included Additional District Magistrate (Protocol) Jyoti Rana, ASP Ratan Negi, SDM Urban Shimla Oshin Sharma, and District Revenue Officer Sanjeet Sharma, among others.
Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap called the drill a success, noting the high level of coordination among all participating agencies. He announced plans to provide specialized training to Civil Defence volunteers with assistance from the Army and said that specially equipped disaster-response kits will be prepared. A dedicated room will also be allotted for Civil Defence operations.
Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi emphasized the collaborative efforts at the district level, stating that the police, Army, Home Guards, and Civil Defence are fully prepared to respond to any future emergencies. He also mentioned that communication systems will be further strengthened, and siren systems will be installed at strategic locations throughout the city.
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