Jaipur, May 6 (IANS) A large-scale mock drill will be conducted in 28 cities of Rajasthan on Wednesday, following instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The objective is to assess preparedness and response in the event of wartime air attacks.
As part of the drill, air raid sirens will be sounded, and cities will experience a complete blackout for nearly 30 minutes.
These sirens are designed to simulate alerts for air strikes and ensure that civil defence mechanisms are activated efficiently.
Cities have been categorised into three sensitivity levels: Kota and Rawatbhata (Chittorgarh) are listed as the most sensitive, 18 cities, including Jaipur, are moderately sensitive, while eight others fall into the least sensitive category.
Preparations for the drill began in cities like Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, and Bikaner, where sirens were tested on Monday.
In Sri Ganganagar, the district administration has imposed a ban on drone operations.
The region has been divided into red, yellow, and green zones for drone regulation.
The red zone includes areas within 25 km of the India-Pakistan border, Air Force and Army zones, VIP areas, power plants, and critical government installations.
The yellow zone includes locations such as the railway station, collectorate, and police offices.
Drone usage in red and yellow zones now requires prior permission, and authorities have warned that violations will result in strict legal action.
In Jaipur, the mock drill will take place at 4 p.m. on May 7.
Sirens will be sounded at more than two dozen locations, including the Collectorate, Shastri Nagar, Chandpole Power House, Mirza Ismail (M.I.) Road (BSNL Office), Raj Bhavan, Secretariat, Zorawar Singh Gate, Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, Bajaj Nagar and Durgapura.
Jaipur Collector Jitendra Kumar Soni chaired a meeting to review preparations and confirmed that sirens will be sounded at eight key points across the city, including the Secretariat, BSNL Office on M.I. Road, Government Hostel, Chandpole, Shastri Nagar, Chaugan Stadium, and Sanganeri Gate.
In Barmer, more than 1,100 civil defence personnel have been deployed to support the drill.
Authorities reviewed siren installations and operational readiness across the district, including the Barmer Collectorate.
The Civil Defence teams are coordinating with local authorities to ensure a smooth and effective mock exercise.
Rehearsals for the drill were also held in schools and hostels in Jaisalmer.
Students in private schools received training on how to respond during air raid alerts.
Hostel warden Jetharam said that children were taught how to remain alert and protect themselves in crisis situations.
Jodhpur Collector Gaurav Agarwal announced that a full-scale mock drill simulating an air attack will also take place in the city.
Air sirens will be sounded, and civil defence volunteers will educate the public on safety protocols and emergency preparedness.
Coordination has been finalised with key services such as fire, police, and rescue departments.
Collector Agarwal appealed to citizens not to panic, assuring them that the drill is a precautionary measure to prepare for emergencies.
Around 400 civil defence volunteers in Jodhpur have been briefed on their responsibilities during the exercise.
–IANS
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