(Written by Prisha Arora) A civil defence mock drill held across Mohali on Wednesday evening exposed critical gaps in the city’s emergency response systems, as public sirens failed to sound in several areas and many residents remained unaware that any drill was underway. Part of a larger initiative by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the drill was intended to simulate a city-wide blackout and emergency scenario to test urban preparedness amid rising climate risks and security threats. “We are conducting these mock drills to strengthen our preparedness and ensure citizen safety,” said Sanjeev Kalra, IPS, Director General of Home Guards and Civil Defence. “We’re actively investigating the malfunctioning sirens, and the local administration is working to resolve technical issues.” Sirens are installed in several locations across Mohali, including Sectors 70, 71, 77, Phase 3B2, and parts of Kharar and Sunny Enclave. But during the drill, the systems reportedly failed in key pockets. The effectiveness of the blackout simulation was also diluted as many households continued to have power due to inverters. “Citizens also have a role to play,” Kalra said. “We observed that many homes kept their lights on despite advisories. We’re trying our best to improve this process, and drills will continue—possibly on a near-daily basis. While I can’t confirm the exact schedule, we are working toward full operational readiness.” Deputy Superintendent of Police Karan Sandhu, who oversaw the drill on the ground, said traffic movement remained smooth and was coordinated with local establishments. “The mock drills began around 4 p.m. near VR Punjab Mall in Kharar, Bestech Square Mall in Sector 66, Mohali, and Elante Mall in Chandigarh, where both the SSP and DC were present,” he said. However, on the ground, many residents said they had no idea that a drill had taken place. “I didn’t hear any sirens at all,” said Pooja, 32, a resident of Sector 125, Mohali. “Most homes in my lane still had their lights on. It didn’t feel like anything was happening.” Gildeep, from Sunny Enclave, echoed the experience: “Power was cut, but inverters came on almost instantly. We turned off all our lights, but many neighbours didn’t. There were no sirens, no alerts—nothing that made it feel serious.” Raman, a homemaker in Kharar, said the scene outside resembled a normal evening. “I saw cars with high beams. It didn’t look or feel like a blackout.” “Honestly, nobody in our area took the mock drill seriously,” said Kranti, a student. Officials said future drills will be better coordinated and urged residents to stay alert, follow advisories, and report any lapses.
