Air Raid and Blackout Mock Drill in Dehradun Tonight; 30-Minute Power Outage Planned
Don’t panic, avoid rumors—this is only a drill: District Administration
Dehradun, April 24, 2026
To assess the preparedness of the civil defense and disaster management systems, an air raid and blackout mock drill will be conducted in Dehradun tonight (Friday) at 10:00 PM. During the exercise, power supply will be suspended for approximately 30 minutes in four sensitive areas of the city.
According to the district administration, the objective of the drill is to evaluate the readiness, coordination, and response capabilities of various security and emergency agencies in the event of a potential air attack or emergency situation. As per the plan, sirens will be sounded to signal an air raid alert in ISBT, Ghantaghar, Araghar, and the Raipur-based Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL/DRDO) area, followed by a complete blackout.
From a disaster management perspective, an Emergency Operation Center (EOC) has been set up in the control room to ensure real-time coordination among all departments through mobile, wireless, and other communication systems. Teams from NDRF, SDRF, Civil Defence, and the police will be deployed on the ground to monitor the situation closely.
District Disaster Management Officer Rishabh Kumar stated that the mock drill is being conducted as per the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, with the District Magistrate acting as the controller of the operation. He urged citizens not to panic or fall prey to rumors, emphasizing that this is only a preparedness exercise.
The district administration has appealed to the public to cooperate and follow all guidelines during the drill, noting that such exercises play a crucial role in strengthening disaster response mechanisms and enhancing public awareness.
