Security has been heightened in the national capital ahead of civil defence mock drills scheduled to be conducted on Wednesday 4 pm onwards at 55 locations across the city, following a directive of the Union Home Ministry in light of the rising Indo-Pak tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack. The name of the drill is Operation Abhyaas and it will simulate multiple hostile scenarios like air raids, multiple fire emergencies, search and rescue operation etc.
The drill will be conducted with the help of multiple departments and agencies with pre specified roles like MCD to remove debris, health to provide immediate medical attention, fire department to provide immediate fire fighting and rescuing lives, civil defense volunteers to coordinate between different departments and affected people etc. NCC, NSS and NYKS will also participate in the drill.
The officer said around 2,000 civil defence volunteers and 1,200 “Aapda Mitras”, trained in disaster response, will be part of the drill on Wednesday.
On the eve of the exercise, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that the national capital is “fully prepared” for it. “Every activity is being undertaken as per the directions of the Central government,” she said. Police have increased day and night patrolling across different areas in the city with a special focus on tourist and market places. Special patrol units have been mobilised to cover key areas, including Connaught Place, India Gate, Janpath, Yashwant Palace, Gole Market and other vital installations.
The system has been designed to act as a powerful siren for crowd dispersal and a means of delivering urgent messages to the public in the event of a sudden security threat. “We have identified five sites in each of the 11 revenue districts — a market, a big residential colony, a school, a government office and a hospital. We may not carry out a blackout drill since it will require coordination with the Northern Powergrid and it is not feasible,” a senior Delhi government officer. Several officials said authorities have drawn a comprehensive plan to carry out mock drills on Wednesday. “It will be an ongoing exercise and will help us assess various aspects of our response in emergency situations,” the senior Delhi government officer said.
On Tuesday morning, a police team monitored the security arrangements at Connaught Place. In addition to the mock drill, the police will maintain a strict vigil on social media to check the spread of misinformation.
“With security as a top priority and to ensure the safety of citizens and maintain public security, the east district police have intensified vehicle inspections at key entry and exit points. This proactive measure aims to deter and prevent any potential terror-related threats. We request the cooperation of all residents and commuters during this time,” DCP (East) Abhishek Dhania said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Surendra Choudhary said that to enhance visibility and ensure public safety, teams are conducting foot patrolling in different areas. “This initiative aims to strengthen community policing and to keep strict vigil and maintain law and order,” he said.
He added that to ensure round-the-clock vigilance, foot patrolling has been enhanced, particularly during the evening and night hours. Enhanced presence of personnel in the form of motorcycle patrols and special pickets in high-density areas ensure constant police presence, the officer said.
“During the mock drills, teams will ensure the deployment of the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) and dog squads, continuously conducting anti-sabotage checks in high-footfall areas, such as Palika Bazaar, Janpath, Khan Market and near government buildings,” the officer said. He further said that rigorous anti-terror measures have been undertaken, vehicle-checking drives are being carried out and multiple pickets and check posts have been erected at key access-control points.
Comprehensive vehicle checking is being carried out to detect suspicious people, the officer said, adding that the staff has been directed to pay special attention to rental and unregistered vehicles. The goal is to make all concerned departments ready and aware about their responsibilities and to strengthen inter departmental coordination.