Mock drills & blackouts simulate air strike response; more in next 5 days

Mumbai: At the stroke of 4pm Wednesday, an air raid siren echoed for two minutes through Cross Maidan in south Mumbai, initiating a mock drill simulating an air strike—three "bomb explosions" —followed by firefighting and rescue operations. Teams from Mumbai police, fire brigade, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), civil defence, BMC and paramedics rushed in to save the "injured" and those in "danger", with support from NSS and NCC cadets, and hospitals such as Nair and Bombay. The entire emergency preparedness drill lasted 35 minutes and engaged around 1,000 participants. The Aga Khan NGO actively contributed as part of the "search and rescue" team too. Subsequently, blackouts were conducted late evening at Anushakti Nagar and Tarapur, where nuclear power plants are located.Organised under Operation Abhyas, the exercise involved coordinated efforts from multiple emergency response teams. The drill began with simulated explosions followed by a fire. Civil defence services were the first to respond, quickly cordoning off the area as volunteers took shelter in nearby safe zones. "As the drill was pre-planned, the response time of the rescue agencies was a satisfactory 3 minutes," said Prabhat Kumar, DG, Maharashtra civil defence.An incident control officer, along with a reconnaissance team, arrived to assess if the ‘explosion' involved "radiation or toxic gases". Soon, fire brigade personnel rushed to douse the flames, followed by paramedics who attended to the "injured" and took them to hospitals. A scenario was enacted in which a person stranded on a building's fifth floor was rescued by fire brigade.The operation simulated a power blackout at BARC and Tarapur Atomic Power Station late evening to test coordination, siren alert systems, and civilian evacuation readiness. A team from NDRF, including a special unit trained in handling chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, arrived. Kumar said such drills would continue at other sites over the next 5-6 days. He said the siren systems, though functional, would be upgraded wherever needed. "We would address shortcomings we noticed in the drills, which we will first discuss with higher-ups before taking action," a senior official said."Participation of common people in such exercises will be sought upon directions from the Centre. We are focusing on training civilians in passive defence techniques, so they can act swiftly and safely in emergencies," he added.In Uran, the civil defence force activated warning sirens across the tehsil office, ONGC Colony, Group Gram Panchayat Chanje, GTPS Company Bokadvira, Barmer Lorry, Bhendkhal, All Cargo Company Koproli and Bulk Gate Company Mora. NI School conducted a fire simulation. Amid sudden rain, the mock drill conducted at Kalyan's Maxi Ground witnessed simulation from the police, fire brigade, civil defence, and medical services. Rescue teams braved the slippery ground to transport victims on stretchers. Zipline rescue demonstrations and makeshift arrangements added to the realism of the operation. (With B B Nayak)