Mock Drills Under 'Operation Shield' To Be Held In Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, J&K On May 31

Security agencies will carry out an extensive drill across districts bordering Pakistan on the evening of May 31, according to an India Today report.

The exercise is set to be conducted in Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu & Kashmir, with the aim of bolstering preparedness and raising awareness in areas susceptible to cross-border threats.

Photo Credit: PTI

The decision to proceed with the drills follows a recent deferment. Exercises planned for Thursday in the border states and union territories - Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu & Kashmir - were postponed due to administrative reasons.

These drills were originally organised under "Operation Shield", in response to a recent four-day conflict involving heavy cross-border aggression.

Sources have indicated that such drills will now become a monthly occurrence in districts adjoining the Pakistan border.

During the exercises, residents will be advised to stay vigilant and comply with all directives from authorities.

The key objectives of the drills include testing the functionality of control rooms and air raid warning systems. The exercises will also evaluate the performance of civil defence services such as wardens, fire-fighting units, rescue operations, depot management, and the formulation of evacuation strategies.

In Gujarat, the drills are planned across all districts, with residents encouraged to register on the government portal to volunteer for civil defence. Particular attention will be given to methods of protecting civilians in the event of an aerial assault.

This development follows weeks after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) conducted "Operation Abhyas" - a nationwide security exercise - on 7 May, just hours before the commencement of Operation Sindoor.

During the previous drill, air raid sirens were sounded and civilians, including students, were briefed on civil defence procedures for self-protection and assisting others in the event of an attack. These exercises - the first on such a scale since the 1971 war with Pakistan - were held at 250 sites across 33 states and union territories.

In light of continued aerial aggression from Pakistan - all of which were successfully repelled - 32 airports across northern and north-western India were temporarily closed as a safety precaution.

Amid Operation Sindoor, Punjab - which shares a 532-kilometre-long border with Pakistan - placed all its border districts on high alert, cancelling public gatherings and shutting schools in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Tarn Taran.

Similarly, in Rajasthan - which shares a 1,037-kilometre border with Pakistan - all government and private schools in the border areas were closed.