PNS|Hyderabad
Hyderabad is all set to take part in a nationwide civil defence exercise today (Wednesday) as part of Operation Abhyaas, a massive drill aimed at enhancing preparedness against enemy attacks.
The drill, scheduled at 4 pm within Outer Ring Road limits, will simulate an incoming air raid and test the readiness of civil defence services and the public.
Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar said, “Hyderabad is one of 244 vulnerable districts in the country selected for ‘Operation Abhyaas,’ a Civil Defence (CD) exercise. The siren will blow from 4 pm to 4.30 pm on May 7 within ORR. Citizens need not panic. It’s only an exercise. The mock drill is being held at four locations at 4 pm on May 7. They are Secunderabad and Golkonda Cantonment, Kanchan Bagh and Nacharam. The exact location will be informed on Wednesday.”
The mock drill at railway stations coming under the jurisdiction of the South Central Railway will be conducted at Kacheguda (Hyderabad Division, Raichur (Guntakal Division) and Aurangabad (Nanded Division) stations.
As per the Civil Defence Act, 1968, states and union territories are mandated to maintain civil defence preparedness.
Telangana, adhering to this responsibility, will join other vulnerable districts identified by the Centre to hold the drill aimed at safeguarding civilians, minimising damage and loss of life, and strengthening public morale.
Authorities have laid out a detailed plan to execute the mock drill in Hyderabad. At exactly 4 pm, sirens across the city –including industrial areas, police junctions, fire stations, and patrolling vehicles – will sound simultaneously for two minutes. Officials urged residents to remain calm and treat the alarm as an exercise.
During the simulated air raid, citizens and volunteers are advised to seek immediate shelter, avoid rumours, turn off utilities and stay indoors until an all-clear message is issued. If outside, they have been asked to lie low and cover their heads.
At 4:15 pm, four locations within the city will be declared impacted by the simulated raid, triggering the next phase of the drill. Civil defence services, including the police, fire brigade, SDRF, DRF, medical teams, and municipal officials, will be mobilised to demonstrate rapid response capabilities.
The drill will involve search and rescue operations, firefighting, clearing of debris, triage and medical treatment for simulated casualties, evacuation of civilians to safe shelters, and coordination among departments. Temporary hospitals and relief shelters will be activated as part of the exercise.
