Operation Sindoor: Indore and Jabalpur prepared for mock drill

The central government has ordered a civil defence mock drill in five districts of Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday, 7 May. These drills are part of Operation Sindoor. Indore, Jabalpur, Bhopal, Gwalior, and Katni will take part. The exercise will take place in two phases—one in the afternoon and one in the evening.

The first phase of the mock drill will begin at 4:00 pm. It will include three types of emergency drills. The first will focus on how to handle a fire in a building, including rescue and evacuation. The second will simulate a situation where a building is damaged by an attack, showing how to conduct rescue operations and set up a temporary hospital. The third will focus on how to evacuate civilians from a dangerous building and move them to bunkers or safe places.

The second phase will begin at 7:30 pm with a 12-minute blackout. A siren will sound before the blackout starts. All lights, including street lights, will be switched off. Another siren will signal the end of the blackout. During this time, people can use candles or inverters, but they must block light from escaping outside by closing curtains. Vehicles on the road must pull over and switch off their lights.

Why Indore was chosen?

Indore has been chosen for this drill because it houses several important facilities. RR CAT, a sensitive central institute, works on laser technology used in defence and space missions, including those by ISRO. The Army War College in Mhow also plays a big role. It trains 2,500 to 3,000 officers at a time and conducts research related to national security.

Indore is also home to a BSF firing range and a commando training centre. It has both IIT and IIM campuses. As the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh, Indore has many malls and tall buildings that hold large crowds. It also has the state’s busiest airport. These factors make it a key location for civil defence exercises.

Indore Collector Ashish Singh explained that the mock drill is only a safety measure and there’s no reason to panic. He said hospitals will mark buildings with a Red Cross symbol, and that a proper civil defence plan will be updated. Officials will meet with mall operators and traders to explain the blackout process and avoid confusion.

Across the country, air raid sirens will also sound on 7 May as part of national mock drills. The goal is to test emergency response systems and update safety plans for critical areas. Authorities are installing sirens on BSNL towers to ensure wide reach.

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