57000 to participate in Gujarat mock drill after MHA directive
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Gandhinagar: More than 57,000 personnel and volunteers in Gujarat will participate in a large-scale civil defence mock drill on Wednesday, following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) aimed at strengthening emergency preparedness across border states.
The exercise comes in the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals. Given Gujarat’s strategic location along the Pakistan border, the state has been instructed to conduct a comprehensive readiness drill simulating real-time crisis conditions.
According to senior police officials, the drill will involve approximately 13,000 civil defence volunteers and 44,000 home guards. The simulation will be carried out across major urban centres and will include a range of coordinated activities such as the activation of air raid sirens, public address systems, citywide blackouts, civilian outreach programmes, and evacuation procedures. These measures are designed to mirror the dynamics of an actual emergency scenario and assess the efficiency of the state’s response systems.
Mobilisation orders have already been issued from Gandhinagar, directing all personnel to report to their assigned units in preparation for the exercise. A high-level video conference is scheduled for later in the day, bringing together key stakeholders including police leadership, district collectors, municipal commissioners, and officials from the power sector, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Roads and Buildings Department. The meeting will serve to synchronise efforts across various departments and agencies.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed officials via video conference ahead of the mock drill, underscoring the critical role of proactive planning in safeguarding national security.
“In today’s world, security threats can emerge without warning—from across the border or within. Gujarat, owing to its geographical and strategic importance, must be at the forefront of civil defence readiness,” he said.
Describing the upcoming drill as “a rehearsal for resilience,” Shah praised the participation of over 57,000 personnel as a “commendable commitment to national security.” He urged state authorities to treat the exercise with the seriousness of a genuine emergency and stressed the necessity of involving both civilians and government systems in a unified response effort.
“No system is effective without the cooperation of civilians and the synchronisation of government machinery,” he noted. “Let this be a reminder to every citizen and official: preparedness is our first line of defence.”
Shah also announced that similar mock drills would be conducted in other border and high-risk states in the coming weeks, under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
With IANS inputs
