Mumbai, May 6 (PTI) A civil defence mock drill will be conducted at 16 locations across 10 districts in Maharashtra on May 7 in line with the directions of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), officials said on Tuesday, first such exercise in decades amid the rising India-Pakistan tension.
More than 10,000 volunteers of civil defence, National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets and Home Guard volunteers will participate in the mock drill, which is part of a large-scale nationwide preparedness exercise, a senior official of Civil Defence told PTI.
In Maharashtra, mock drills will be conducted in the districts of Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Raigad, Jalgaon, Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Palghar.
The MHA has directed the authorities to conduct the mock drill in Mumbai, Uran, Tarapur, Thane, Pune, Nashik, Roha-Nagothane, Manmad, Sinnar, Thal, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Bhusawal, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg.
Some of the locations are sensitive, like Tarapur which houses an atomic power plant, the industrial belts of Roha-Nagothane, Uran and densely-populated cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Pimpri-Chinchwad.
"The Centre has given instructions to all states. Maharashtra, too, has planned a mock drill. If details about the mock drill are revealed then it won't be a mock drill," Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
Amid growing tension between India and Pakistan after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the MHA has issued directives to states and Union Territories to conduct full-scale civil defence mock drills on Wednesday.
The mock drill will commence at 4 pm with a siren blaring at multiple locations.
The official said the civil defence will also be assisted by district administration, fire brigade and paramedics.
"The purpose of this mock drill is to sensitise people about safety and precautionary measures to be taken during war or war-like situations," the civil defence official said.
Civil defence volunteers have been trained to give first-aid, handle emergency situations like for drill, how to handle the dead and injured, and move people to safer places, he said.
A senior official of Mumbai Fire Brigade said they will be part of the mock drill, details of which were not disclosed to them.
They will follow the instructions from the civil defence and home guards, he said, adding "People should not panic."
The Railway carried out a security drill at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Kurla and other major stations on Tuesday evening, which saw involvement of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) with their respective dog squad.
"We are ready for the drill," the dean of a civic body-run hospital in Mumbai said.
In Pune, the mock drills will be conducted at the Council Hall and Panchayat Samiti, and Municipal Council offices in Mulshi and Talegaon.
Personnel from civil defence, the Army, Air Force, Police, Fire Brigade, NDRF, Revenue and Health Departments, municipal corporations, and district administration will participate in the exercise.
Additionally, students from various colleges, National Service Scheme (NSS), and NCC cadets will also participate, District Collector Jitendra Dudi told reporters.
In adjoining Thane and Palghar districts, the drill has been codenamed "Operation Abhyas", which will test emergency preparedness and response systems. It will be held at multiple locations, including Kalyan, Uran, and Palghar.
In Kalyan, the drill will be held at Maxi Maidan in Rambagh Lane, where mock emergency scenarios will be enacted by the Civil Defence Force, disaster management authorities, and emergency services, an official release by the Thane district administration stated.
District Collector and Civil Defence Force Controller Ashok Shingare urged citizens not to panic, avoid believing in rumours, and cooperate fully with authorities during the drill.
"This is a routine preparedness exercise. A siren will be sounded at 4 pm to simulate a warning system. Remain calm and follow instructions," he said in his message to citizens.
Deputy Civil Defence Controller Vijay Jadhav said the exercise is only a simulation and no real threat exists.
A mock drill will also be conducted at Uran, home to vital infrastructure such as Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and several oil and gas installations.
In Palghar, which houses the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), the drill will take place on the grounds opposite the TAPS colony in Boisar.
Vivekanand Kadam, chief of the District Disaster Management Cell, confirmed that all arrangements are in place for a smooth execution of the drill.
Authorities across Thane, Palghar, and Uran have made elaborate preparations for the successful conduct of "Operation Abhyas", aimed at evaluating coordination, response time, and public awareness in the event of natural or man-made disasters.