Electricity has been restored in West Kidwai Nagar and parts of South Delhi following a scheduled 15-minute blackout conducted as part of a planned drill on Wednesday. Mock drills, codenamed ‘Operation Abhyas’, are underway in several parts of India today, May 7, 2025, as part of civil defence measures in 244 districts across the country. These districts have been designated as civil defence districts based on threat perception, with the maximum number in West Bengal (32), followed by Rajasthan (28), Assam (20), Punjab (20), and Jammu & Kashmir (20).
The mock drills simulate multiple hostile scenarios: incoming air raids with siren activation and blackout procedures, urban fire emergencies, search and rescue operations, casualty evacuation, temporary hospital setups, and evacuation of civilians to demilitarised zones and bunkers. Authorities conducted 'Operation Abhyaas' at 55 locations across Delhi, simulating hostile scenarios like air raids, fires, and building collapses. Over 1,000 personnel from various departments participated in the Delhi drills.
The scheduled blackout as part of the mock drill will not happen in any residential areas in Gautam Buddh Nagar, officials said on Wednesday. “We have identified certain factories and other similar areas in the district where the blackout will be held,” said District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma. Following the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, that killed 26 people, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued directions to conduct nationwide civil defence mock drills across 244 districts.
Hours after Indian armed forces delivered a swift and accurate targeted military response on terrorist training camps and launchpads in Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack last month, Tripura joined the mock drill along with all other states and Union Territories of the country as part of the preparedness in the event of any emergency situation or hostile attack.
A civil defence mock drill was conducted in Singtam, Sikkim on Wednesday, starting at 4 PM. Following directives from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs after the April 22, 2025 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, mock drills were conducted across several cities in Rajasthan, beginning at 4 PM. Pune conducted a mock drill at the Council hall on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. A mock drill simulating a bomb attack was conducted in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
There will be a power blackout from 8-8:15 PM across Lutyens' Delhi on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, as part of the nationwide civil defence mock drill. Civil defence mock drills were conducted across 12 districts of Odisha, including Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, and Rourkela, to assess emergency preparedness. Mock emergency drills were conducted across 14 districts in Kerala on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, including at the Ernakulam Collectorate building, to prepare for potential war-like situations following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
The Ludhiana district administration in Punjab will conduct a blackout in 10 areas from 8 to 8:30 PM on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor on the intervening night of Tuesday, May 6, 2025, and Wednesday, May 7, 2025, and conducted multiple airstrikes targeting terrorist training camps operating on Pakistani soil.
Authorities in Delhi conducted large-scale mock security drills across 55 locations under 'Operation Abhyaas'. Several areas in Delhi, including Sahyog Apartments, witnessed mock drills on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The Haryana government has announced that a civil mock drill will be conducted in all 22 districts starting at 4 PM Wednesday, May 7, 2025. The blackout, as part of the mock drill, will be observed for 10 minutes from 7:50 PM to 8 PM.
In New Delhi, the drills will be held for around three hours between 4 PM and 7 PM, covering 660 schools and 40 markets. The exercise was held at ten schools and colleges in Ghaziabad at 10 AM. Ahead of the nationwide civil defence drills, the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) have released a video detailing what to do when an air raid warning siren goes off. The drills will be conducted at 259 locations across 33 states and union territories.
The mock drills will focus on air raids, mass evacuations, and bunker safety protocols, with defence volunteers from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) on the ground to train civilians for hostile scenarios. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed India's decision to hold the water treaty in abeyance for the first time.
Hyderabad on Wednesday, May 7, witnessed a series of civil defence and fire safety mock drills across four primary locations: Secunderabad, Golconda, Nacharam, and Kanchanbagh. Additional drills were conducted at the Kacheguda Railway Station, Secretariat building, Mehdipatnam, Mallapur, Rein Bazar, Moula Ali, and Cyber Towers junction. Air raid alert sirens were sounded for the first time in nearly 50 years as part of the drill, blaring for two minutes.
Residents were advised to seek shelter immediately, stay informed via official sources, avoid rumors, turn off utilities, and stay in place until the all-clear signal. For those caught outside, the recommendation was to lie flat in a low-lying area, cover their head, and remain still until safe. The mock drill in Hyderabad is intended to build awareness, improve preparedness, and reduce loss of life and property in the event of an actual hostile attack.
At precisely 4 PM on May 7, 2025, sirens echoed in parts of Hyderabad, signalling the beginning of Operation Abhyaas. In Aswini Colony, West Marredpally, within the Secunderabad Cantonment, the exercise began on cue. Telangana Disaster Response Force units, ambulances, traffic patrols, and fire tenders swept into the street, rescuing residents from the five-storey Manbhum Millennium Residency and guiding them to the NCC Grounds. A temporary emergency medical camp was also set up on one end of the vast ground, with stretchers, beds, first aid, and medicines.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand stressed that this was part of a deliberate strategy to build awareness and resilience. “Operation Abhyaas is about mental and physical preparedness. We held a video conference with all departments — Fire Services, GHMC, Disaster Response teams, and Home Guard,” he said. The Chief Minister was briefed, and roles were clearly divided. Fake news had already started circulating, with rumors claiming the mock drill was cancelled.
In Ahmedabad, over 6 lakh volunteers joined the nationwide mock drill, including students and healthcare workers, in response to escalating tensions with Pakistan following the recent Pahalgam terror attack. The Ministry of Home Affairs directed all states and Union territories to conduct a large-scale civil defence mock drill on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, to assess preparedness for potential hostile threats, including air raids and mass evacuations.
As India gears up for these comprehensive emergency preparedness exercises, the public is encouraged to participate and stay informed, ensuring a collective readiness for any potential threats.
