Jaipur: A citywide mock air raid drill conducted Wednesday evening exposed gaps in public awareness and coordination among various stakeholders. The 15-minute blackout, held between 8:30pm and 8:45pm, aimed to test the city’s readiness for aerial emergencies but received mixed responses across different areas. The drill’s effectiveness was particularly questionable in high-security zones like Jyoti Nagar, where the state assembly building observed the blackout while several quarters in the adjacent MLA residential complex remained illuminated. The EPFO office nearby was also fully lit, even as police personnel at intersections tried to enforce the blackout by halting traffic and urging motorists to switch off headlights. This inconsistency highlighted coordination challenges even in sensitive areas. “No one told us what needed to be done. We assumed the electricity department would cut the power,” said Dheeraj Koolwal, a resident of Pratap Nagar, echoing the sentiment of many citizens who reported a lack of clear communication about the drill”s procedures.Earlier in the day, more structured drills were conducted at various locations including the BSNL office on MI Road, where a full-scale emergency simulation included evacuation procedures, rescue operations and medical response scenarios. At 4pm, sirens blared across the area, triggering the evacuation of employees by civil defence teams. Rescue personnel performed emergency operations, treated “injured” individuals on the spot and transported them through a green corridor to SMS Hospital using ambulances.Civil defence teams, supported by police and fire brigade units, carried out similar exercises at the secretariat and the district collectorate. The evening blackout drill revealed varying levels of compliance across the city. While some areas followed guidelines, commercial establishments along Tonk Road and in areas like Purani Basti, Jhotwara and Ajmer Road required police intervention to participate. Several neighbourhoods reported not hearing any sirens, raising questions about the effectiveness of the warning system.
Mock drills expose gaps in Jaipur’s readiness | Jaipur News
