Rajasthan Mock Drill: War sirens blare across cities, Jaipur on high alert

Amidst rising tensions between India and Pakistan and in the aftermath of ‘Operation Sindoor’, security arrangements across the country have been heightened.

Mock Drill in Rajasthan: Following increased tensions between India and Pakistan and ‘Operation Sindoor’, security arrangements across the country have been heightened. As part of this, a mock drill to handle wartime situations was conducted on Wednesday in several cities of Rajasthan on the instructions of the Union Home Ministry. In several sensitive areas, including Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner, Dausa, Alwar, Sikar, Sirohi, Kota, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bharatpur, Rawatbhata and Sri Ganganagar, preparations for civil defence during an air strike were tested.

Mock Drill in Jaipur After 50 Years

A mock air strike drill was conducted at the BSNL office on MI Road in the capital, Jaipur. A warning siren was sounded in the secretariat, alerting employees and the general public. This drill was witnessed after almost 50 years, the last such preparation having taken place during the 1971 war.

The District Collector was informed of the ‘air strike’ via hotline, after which, as soon as the siren sounded, the process of moving citizens to safe locations began. Secretariat employees were also trained on how to protect themselves in an emergency.

Mock Drill Commences at 4 PM in Kota

The mock drill in Kota began at 4 PM, with fire brigade siren vehicles along with civil defence and police teams. The district, along with Rawatbhata, is classified in the highest sensitivity category by the central government. The civil defence team at the Kota Collectorate was kept on high alert. Officials provided information on relief and rescue measures and also gave practical training to the team.

Border Alert in Barmer-Jaisalmer

Preparations were more stringent in Barmer and Jaisalmer districts, bordering Pakistan. During the mock drill in Barmer, local markets were temporarily closed. Police appealed for cooperation from the public through announcements. In Jaisalmer too, an air raid alert was issued by sounding sirens.

Drone flying has been completely banned in the border areas of Sri Ganganagar, Anupgarh and Bikaner. The guidelines issued by the administration state that drone activities could disrupt emergency security and are therefore banned with immediate effect.

Night-time Blackout Practice

Meanwhile, practice for a blackout situation will be conducted at night, with lights kept off, showing citizens how they can manage safety and communication without electricity. This will test the response capability of blackout measures. It should be noted that preparations are underway for night-time blackout and siren tests in high and medium sensitivity areas of Rajasthan.

The administration has clarified that this mock drill is only a practice exercise for handling emergency situations. The public has been appealed to stay away from any rumours and follow the instructions of the administration.