Guwahati: In a statewide preparedness exercise, mock air raid drills were carried out on Wednesday at 18 locations across 14 designated ‘civil defence districts’ in Assam, as part of a national effort to bolster emergency response capabilities following the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
The coordinated drills, led by the Home Guards and Civil Defence wing of Assam Police, commenced at 4 pm and were completed within half an hour, according to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Arabinda Kalita.
“The simulation was conducted successfully, with all key response systems activated and time-sensitive parameters closely monitored,” Kalita said, adding that the exercise served to test readiness against potential air assaults and would aid in refining future response strategies.
Unlike regular administrative districts, civil defence districts are identified based on strategic installations—such as refineries, cantonments, and critical infrastructure—and are demarcated for focused preparedness.
The drill was executed in coordination with multiple departments and agencies, including the fire services, health department, disaster management authority, BSNL, and the Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR).
Ahead of the operation, the Fire & Emergency Services headquarters issued detailed instructions to all participating districts to ensure standardised procedures and rapid response.
The objectives of the mock exercise included testing air raid alert systems, ensuring the functionality of emergency communication lines (such as hotlines with the Indian Air Force), and assessing the readiness of both primary and auxiliary control rooms.
Other aspects of the drill focused on training civilians for hostile scenarios, testing blackout procedures, camouflaging key installations, and evaluating the implementation of evacuation plans.
This exercise in Assam was part of a broader national initiative, with nearly 300 civil defence districts across India conducting similar drills to assess preparedness around sensitive installations including nuclear facilities, military bases, refineries, and hydropower dams.
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The Ministry of Home Affairs had directed states to conduct these drills in response to emerging “new and complex threats,” especially after rising tensions with Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people, including tourists, dead.
In a direct military response, India carried out precision missile strikes on multiple terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir earlier on the same day as the drill, further elevating national security measures.
