Gandhinagar: Over 57,000 volunteers and personnel in the state are set to participate in a civil defence mock drill scheduled for Wednesday, as part of a national directive issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to select states.

The exercise comes in the wake of rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists. Given Gujarat’s border with Pakistan, the state has also been instructed to conduct these preparedness drills.

According to senior police officials, the mock drill will involve around 13,000 civil defence volunteers and 44,000 home guards across urban centres, including all major cities in the state. The drill will simulate air raid sirens, public announcements, blackouts, civilian awareness programs, and emergency evacuation protocols. The drill will be systematic to mirror a real-time emergency situation.

Instructions have already been sent from Gandhinagar for personnel to report to their assigned units. A video conference involving top officials—including police, district collectors, municipal commissioners, and representatives from power companies, NHAI, and the Roads and Buildings Department—is set to take place today. DeshGujarat