Hyderabad, Vizag Chosen from Telugu States For National Civil Defence Drill on May 7

In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 25 tourists and a pony ride operator in the Baisaran meadow of Kashmir, the central government has announced that mock drills will be conducted across 244 districts in the country—designated as Civil Defense districts—on May 7 (Wednesday).

In the Telugu States, the mock drills will be conducted in Hyderabad (Telangana) and Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh). Both have been categorized as Category II Civil Defence Districts.

The mock drills are aimed at evaluating civil preparedness during war-like situations, such as missile strikes or aerial attacks.

Some of the mock drill activities include:

• Air Raid Sirens: Sirens will be tested and activated in vulnerable urban centres, alerting the public to aerial threats and giving people crucial seconds to find safety.
• Training Civilians: Workshops will be held in schools, offices, and community centres to educate participants on how to respond during an attack. Civilians will be taught drop-and-cover techniques, locating nearby shelters, basic first aid, and staying calm under stress.
• Crash Blackouts: Cities will simulate sudden blackouts by turning off all visible lights to avoid detection during potential nighttime airstrikes. This tactic was last widely used during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
• Camouflage Exercises: Strategic buildings and installations—including military bases, communication towers, and power plants—will undergo camouflaging to make them harder to detect during satellite or aerial surveillance.
• Evacuation Drills: Officials will rehearse evacuation plans, moving people from high-risk zones to safe areas. These dry runs help identify bottlenecks and ensure smooth operations in real emergencies.

The mock drills will involve local government authorities, Civil Defence Wardens, Home Guards, National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) members, and students from schools and colleges.

This is the first such exercise since 1971. Notably, no such national-level civil defence drills were carried out even during the 1999 Kargil conflict (Operation Vijay).