In response to heightened security alerts amid air strike attempts from Pakistan, authorities in Punjab's Chandigarh, Mohali, and Amritsar have imposed a series of emergency measures, including early closure of commercial establishments and blackout orders. All shops and establishments, including restaurants, in Chandigarh have been directed to close by 7:00 PM on Friday, May 9, 2025. However, medical shops are exempt from the order.
In Mohali, the administration has ordered all cinema halls and shopping complexes to shut from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM daily, effective today, until further notice. The directive was issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, by District Magistrate Komal Mittal. "Use of inverter, generator and any other power backup for outdoor lights… may invite any terror/drone attack in District S.A.S. Nagar," the order read. The order also imposes a total blackout during the night hours, banning all outdoor lighting through power backups such as inverters, generators, and solar lights. Firecrackers and long-beam laser or DJ lights are strictly prohibited in the evenings. Residents have been asked not to step out unless absolutely necessary, and to strictly comply with any sirens or emergency signals.
Amritsar too has stepped up its preparedness. The local administration announced that blackout drills will no longer be conducted. Instead, residents have been instructed to treat any sounding of a siren as a real alert and immediately switch off all lights.
Bathinda Deputy Commissioner Shaukat Ahmad Pare noted the videos made by locals of an attempted aerial attack and requested people not to come out of homes to make videos. He told news agency ANI, "Nobody should panic. The army, air force, police and civil authorities are fully prepared. There is no cause for worry. Whatever advisories are issued must be followed... People need to stay indoors, and it has been seen that when the siren goes off, they climb the roofs to make videos. All must go to safer places, and all lights, including CCTV and reflective lights, must be switched off. This will ensure the safety of everyone. There is no threat today. The events yesterday were ably handled, and no damage was reported in any district... Blackout will be done when informed so..."
Meanwhile, in Chandigarh, an air raid siren was sounded earlier today. "An air warning has been received from the air force station of a possible attack. Sirens are being sounded. All are advised to remain indoors and away from balconies," stated the Chandigarh administration, as quoted by ANI. Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav told ANI, "The Chandigarh administration has made all the preparations. As soon as we get an air raid warning, we sound the sirens… When the siren sounds at night, people have to follow the blackout, and if the siren sounds during the day, people are asked to stay indoors. No lights should be left on at night."
These measures come a day after India thwarted Pakistan’s attempts to target military installations in cities including Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur, and Chandigarh. The Defence Ministry had said that Pakistani forces attempted to strike locations across northern and western India in retaliation to India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’, which targeted nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Air raid sirens were activated in Chandigarh on May 9, 2025, and a blackout was declared around 9:30 PM. In a message circulated to different resident and market associations, the Chandigarh DC said, "Keeping in view the ongoing emergency situation, all the residents are requested to immediately respond to the sound of the siren and switch off all the lights. They are also advised not to venture outside or onto the rooftops." While residents switched off the lights, in several locations, there was a long delay in switching off the streetlights. Additionally, the solar lights remained switched on even as the sirens blared. Vehicles could be seen on the street with their lights on.
Earlier in the day, the Chandigarh administration started strengthening the civil defence system in the city. "Satellite phones will be used in case of communication breakdown. Strengthening the Control Room of Civil Defence will be done. Air raid warning systems will be increased from 20 to 50. Uniforms will be given to civil defence personnel," said a UT spokesperson. Power supply from the grid was restored after midnight. However, the DC urged citizens to observe a voluntary blackout.
In view of a potential threat of attack from Pakistan, a two-hour blackout was enforced in Mohali around 9:30 PM on May 9, 2025, with residents requested to turn off lights and minimize movement outside. A brief period of confusion gripped Panchkula on Thursday night as a blackout was imposed across the city. The sudden shutdown led to uncertainty among residents, many of whom were unaware of the directive and had not turned off their lights. The confusion was partly attributed to the lack of a robust air siren system in the city. This led to a delayed response, with many homes remaining lit for several minutes after the blackout began. Streetlights too remained on for a considerable time before being eventually turned off.
Later, as information spread through word of mouth and digital messages, more residents complied and switched off their lights. The blackout will remain in force throughout the night, added the Panchkula DC. In summary, the emergency measures taken across Chandigarh, Mohali, and Amritsar reflect the urgent need for heightened security in the region, as officials work to ensure the safety of residents amid ongoing tensions with Pakistan.
