Mock Drill: Blackouts begin in Patna, Delhi to switch off power at 8 pm

A large-scale mock drill organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) commenced on Wednesday evening across key cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Visakhapatnam, as India steps up emergency readiness amid heightened security concerns.

As part of the drill, power blackouts were initiated in parts of Patna and Delhi at 8 pm, while sirens blared across multiple cities, signaling residents to suspend outdoor activities and refrain from phone usage to keep communication channels clear for emergency services.

The NDMA-led exercise aims to evaluate the responsiveness of hospitals, schools, and government offices in the face of evolving and complex threats, following recent escalations in tensions with Pakistan. The Ministry of Home Affairs, in its notification, linked the urgency of the drill to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people, the majority of them tourists visiting south Kashmir.

The mock exercise is being seen as a measure to bolster the country’s civil defense mechanism, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly holding a series of high-level meetings with top defence and security officials to deliberate countermeasures in response to the Kashmir attack.

Officials said the drill is designed not only to check technical preparedness but also to familiarise citizens with emergency protocols in scenarios involving large-scale disruptions.