15-minute blackout in Jaipur amid countrywide civil defence drills

Jaipur, May 7 (IANS) In response to heightened security following India’s air strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Jaipur witnessed a 15-minute blackout on Wednesday as part of nationwide civil defence drills.

The blackout was observed from 8.30 p.m. to 8.45 p.m.

Darkness prevailed mainly in areas such as Chhoti and Badi Chaupad, Malviya Nagar, and Mansarovar.

Major public spaces, including Jaipur Junction railway station and bus stands, plunged into darkness, with only emergency lights functioning.

The blackout was part of a citywide preparedness drill conducted at over 20 locations.

Earlier in the day, the mock drill commenced at 4 p.m. with air-raid sirens sounding across the city.

At the BSNL office on MI Road, Civil Defence teams carried out a full evacuation and rescue simulation, lasting approximately 25 minutes.

Senior officials, including Jaipur Collector Jitendra Soni and Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph, oversaw the drill alongside Civil Defence personnel.

Injured participants in the simulation were transported to SMS Hospital via a specially created green corridor. Railway station authorities confirmed full cooperation during the blackout.

"The drill was carried out under headquarters' directives. GRP and RPF were stationed throughout the area to manage the situation,” an official said.

Residents of Jaipur reportedly supported the drill, chanting patriotic slogans like “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” and expressing solidarity with the Indian Army.

Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, who returned from Gujarat amid the developments, visited the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) directly from the airport to assess the drill arrangements.

Meanwhile, in Gujarat, CM Sharma was earlier attending a BJP-led good governance training camp for Rajasthan MPs and MLAs.

Various emergency steps are being taken as a part of broader state-level response to the regional security situation and aim to ensure preparedness for any eventuality along the border.

Earlier on Wednesday, in pre-dawn strikes, Indian Armed Forces targetted locations in Bahawalpur, Sialkot, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Barnala, where several major terrorist camps were operating.

These camps were known to have trained terrorists involved in past attacks on Indian soil, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the 2023 Poonch pilgrimage attack.

--IANS

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