MHA Orders Statewide Emergency Preparedness Drill in Gujarat Following Pahalgam Terror Attack
BILKULONLINE
Gandhinagar, May 6: More than 57,000 personnel and volunteers in Gujarat are set to take part in a large-scale civil defence mock drill on Wednesday, following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to bolster emergency preparedness.
The drill comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people. In light of Gujarat’s strategic location bordering Pakistan, the state has been instructed to conduct comprehensive readiness exercises. According to senior police officials, the exercise will engage approximately 13,000 civil defence volunteers and 44,000 home guards. The simulation will be conducted across all major urban centres and will include the activation of air raid sirens, public address systems, citywide blackouts, civilian outreach programmes, and coordinated evacuation procedures, designed to closely replicate a real-time emergency scenario.
State officials have already issued mobilisation orders from Gandhinagar, directing all personnel to report to their designated units ahead of the drill. A video conference is scheduled for later today, bringing together top functionaries including police leadership, district collectors, municipal commissioners, and representatives from the power sector, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Roads and Buildings Department to coordinate efforts. The exercise is expected to test both infrastructure and public response mechanisms, marking one of the largest coordinated civil defence drills in recent years. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing officials via video conference ahead of Wednesday’s civil defence drill, emphasised the importance of proactive readiness amid a volatile security climate. “In today’s world, security challenges can arise without warning – from across the border or within. Gujarat, given its geographical and strategic importance, must stand at the forefront of civil defence readiness,” he said.
“This exercise is not merely a routine drill – it is a rehearsal for resilience,” Union Minister Shah said. Calling the participation of over 57,000 personnel a “commendable commitment to national security”, Union Minister Shah urged state officials to ensure that mock drills are treated with the seriousness of an actual emergency. “No system is effective without the cooperation of civilians and the synchronisation of government machinery,” he added. “Let this be a reminder to every citizen and official: preparedness is our first line of defence, ” he said, and shared that similar drills would be conducted in other border and high-risk states in the coming weeks, under the direct supervision of the MHA.