When sirens blared, society park became a ‘field hospital’: How the mock drill played out at East Delhi’s Sahyog Apartments
As many residents from the complex – the society is a mix of low-rise and mid-rise residential buildings -- gathered at the park, some watched over from their balconies.
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As many residents from the complex – the society is a mix of low-rise and mid-rise residential buildings -- gathered at the park, some watched over from their balconies. (Express Photo)At 4 pm on Wednesday, a siren blared through Sahyog Apartments, a cooperative housing society in Mayur Vihar Phase 1. Scores of civil defence volunteers, dressed in yellow vests, formed a circle around the society’s central park – which doubled as a makeshift field hospital – with volunteers posing as injured civilians.
As many residents from the complex – the society is a mix of low-rise and mid-rise residential buildings — gathered at the park, some watched over from their balconies.
Pointing at a man, a doctor announced, “As you can see, this person has been brought over on a ladder. It is not always possible to find a stretcher on such occasions.”
The scene being played out here is from a mock drill as part of Operation Abhyaas – an exercise held simultaneously across the country on Wednesday after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
During the exercise, multiple hostile scenarios – incoming air raids with siren activation and blackout procedures, urban fire emergencies, search and rescue operations, casualty evacuation, temporary hospital setups, and evacuation of civilians to demilitarised zones/bunkers – were simulated to ensure people are prepared in case of an attack.
The drill was carried out in coordination with various wings of urban governance – Delhi government, fire department, police, Jal Nigam, Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), BSES, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), among others.
At 4.20 pm, another siren rang. The doctor said, “This signals that you should rush to a safe place.”
In no time, a fire brigade vehicle and two ambulances rolled in, as did a Jal Nigam tanker to provide water to douse a blaze. Paramedics, too, quickly rushed a dummy patient to an ambulance.
“Dekhiye kitni twarit karyawahi hoti hai. Apna Dilli bhookamp zone mei bhi hai (Just see how swift the response is. Our Delhi is also in the seismic zone of earthquake),” the doctor added.
As more volunteers poured in, each posing with a different kind of injury, the doctor informed the residents that the injured are tagged with different colours, signalling the kind of emergency. Red, for example, means the person needs immediate attention while green means that one can wait.
As the crowd swelled, from the elderly slowly arriving with walking sticks, to children rushing over from their evening game, a representative from the Delhi Revenue department, who was overseeing the exercise, asked, “Who is here from IGL?”
A man wearing a hard hat appeared and informed that he had cut the gas supply – a must during an emergency to avert an explosion. Similarly, a BSES official said he has disconnected the electricity supply of a building in the complex and ensured that lifts are not used.
The NDRF personnel, meanwhile, simulated checks in a building to ensure no one is trapped inside.
The housing society was among the 55 spots in the Capital, and the only apartment complex in East Delhi, that were earmarked for the exercise.
Dr Ashish Awasthi, the Resident Welfare Association president, told The Indian Express that this was the first time he had witnessed such a drill. “We got to know only the previous evening that our society has been chosen for this purpose. I got a call from the SDM office. We held an online meeting with the authorities today, where all details were provided…”
“We got cars removed from key areas to ensure ambulances pass through with ease. We informed residents about the drill through notices, WhatsApp groups and MyGate app,” he added.
The mock drill was held over 14 hours after Operation Sindoor, during which Indian armed forces destroyed nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir early Wednesday.
“The strike made the people realise the seriousness of the situation and the fact that we need to be prepared and stay alert. Had the air strike not happened, then, perhaps, so many residents would not have turned up for the mock drill. This was an educational exercise,” said Dr Awasthi.
Vakasha Sachdev, a resident, said, “It was interesting to figure out why the area where you reside is important… Maybe because it is close to the (Yamuna) river or perhaps its strategic location…”
As the exercise concluded, a police officer thanked the residents for their participation. “Aapke toh apartment ka naam hi Sahyog (cooperation) hai!,” he quipped.
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