Blackout rehearsal in Punjab today
Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, Punjab will conduct civil defence mock drills at 20 locations on Wednesday, following directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The exercise aims to test and strengthen emergency preparedness amid rising security concerns.
The drills will take place in Amritsar, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Batala, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Adampur, Ludhiana, Halwara, Patiala, Pathankot, Barnala, Mohali, Faridkot, Kotkapura, Rupnagar, Bhakra Nangal, Sangrur and Abohar.
A blackout rehearsal will be conducted in Ferozepur from 9 to 9.30 pm, integrated across both city and cantonment area, with the police patrolling teams deployed to monitor compliance.
Ferozepur Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma has stated that six civil defence sirens would be tested in the city and the cantonment area from 7 to 7.15 pm on Tuesday as part of preparations. She assured residents that the sirens were part of the upcoming drill and urged them not to panic.
Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal announced that a blackout would be imposed in the district from 8 to 9 pm as part of the drill. He advised residents not to use inverters or generators during this period and stressed that even the red lights of CCTV cameras would be switched off to ensure complete adherence to the blackout measures.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed all participating districts to carry out key measures, including activation of air raid warning sirens, training civilians and students in civil defence procedures, implementing blackout measures, camouflaging vital plants and installations and updating evacuation plans.
The drills come amid heightened tensions along the Indo-Pak border following the Pahalgam terror attack and possible military response from India. The authorities have advised residents to fully cooperate and adhere to blackout regulations during the rehearsals to ensure the effectiveness of civil defence measures.
Public announcements will be made before the drills to ensure awareness. In participating towns, the drills will take place throughout the day, with specific timings to be announced by the local authorities.
Blackout timings:
Ludhiana: 8 pm to 8.30 pm.
Mohali: 7.30 pm to 7.40 pm.
Ropar: 8 pm to 8:10 pm.
Bathinda: 8:30pm to 8:35 pm.
Fazilka: 10 pm to 10:30 pm.
Jalandhar: 8 pm to 9 pm
Hoshiarpur: 8 pm to 8.10 pm
Amritsar: 10.30 pm to 11 pm
Patiala: 9 pm to 9.30 pm
Punjab