Following the orders of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct one-day mock drills, ‘Operation Abhyas’, a codename used for these drills, has been executed across the State, including Pune and Mumbai. Civil Defence authorities conducted drills on Wednesday (May 7, 2025) at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and several other locations in Mumbai, showcasing fire safety protocols, fire-fighting methods, air strike response procedures, and casualty rescue and revival techniques.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will continue to conduct mock drills for five more days, including a blackout drill at various spots in Mumbai.
In Mumbai, mock drills were conducted jointly by the Mumbai Police, Civil Defence, BMC, and the Fire Department. Other agencies such as NDRF, Home Guard, NCC, NSS, and paramedics also participated in the drills. Besides Mumbai, Civil Defence authorities conducted mock drills in Thane district’s Kalyan town, Nashik, Pune, Ratnagiri, Sindhdurg, Uran, and Tarapur. The mock drills concluded, after a blackout drill, in Mumbai’s Anshakti Nagar and Tarapur on Wednesday.
In photos: States conduct mock drills in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack
The mock drill at CSMT showcased how to help injured during an attack and how to put off fire. Civil Defence unit inspected the railway station and also deployed police dogs during the checks. Dr. Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer of Central Railways, said, “The mock drill has demonstrated its alertness and tried to alert the common man through the drills.”
Mock drills aim to improve the existing response system to emergencies and convey citizens not to panic during such situations. “War is a situation in which everything cannot be handled. As citizens, we can try to reduce the loss of life,” said Prabhat Kumar, Director General of Civil Defence.
Mr. Kumar also added that an agreement was signed between the Civil Defence department and Mumbai University in February 2025 for including the training programme curriculum in the syllabus.
Published – May 08, 2025 04:53 am IST
