Operation Sindoor: Air Raid Sirens Sounded in New Delhi

Air raid sirens were sounded in the national capital on Friday afternoon (May 9) as part of a civil defence mock drill aimed at educating the public on how to respond during emergencies.

It may be recalled that a nationwide civil defence drill, Operation Abhyaas, was conducted across 244 districts on May 7 to prepare citizens for any eventuality following the Pahalgam terror attack.

As India launched Operation Sindoor on the intervening night of May 6 and 7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terrorist attack, tensions with Pakistan escalated. On the night of May 8, the Pakistan Army unsuccessfully targeted several regions along the western front, including Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab.

Following this, the District Magistrate of Delhi issued a press note informing the public that air raid sirens had been installed at the PWD headquarters in ITO, New Delhi. The test was conducted from 3:00 PM for approximately 15–20 minutes.

Volunteers and personnel from the police, fire services, SDRF, and NDRF participated in the drill, demonstrating how the public should respond when air raid sirens are activated.

The government has taken steps to ensure that air raid sirens are installed across all 11 districts of Delhi, given the city's dense population and the presence of key government institutions.

Additionally, the Delhi government urged the public not to panic, emphasizing that the drills are purely precautionary and are designed to educate people on how to respond in the event of an emergency.

#WATCH | Delhi: Testing of air raid sirens installed at PWD headquarters in ITO is underway; Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma is also present at the spot pic.twitter.com/sId2tFZflW

— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2025