NDRF, Police, Fire Brigade Join Pune’s District-Wide Emergency Mock Drills
Pune, 7th May 2025: In a concerted move to strengthen emergency response systems in the backdrop of India-Pakistan tensions, mock drills were successfully carried out at six key locations across the Pune district on Wednesday under the central government’s directive for ‘Operation Abhyas’. District Collector Jitendra Dudi informed that the drills were executed simultaneously in both urban and rural settings to test inter-agency coordination and disaster readiness.
Speaking after the drill at the Vidhan Bhavan premises, Collector Dudi said, “The mock drills were conducted at Vidhan Bhavan, Pune Municipal Corporation, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, Vanaz Industrial Area, Talegaon, and Mulshi. All participating departments responded promptly and efficiently, completing the drill procedures within 25 to 60 minutes.”
Dudi elaborated on the sequence of the exercise: “The drill began with an air raid siren, followed by a simulated explosion and the release of tear gas shells. Volunteers acting as trapped individuals were rescued by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Health, fire, and civil defence teams responded in a coordinated manner, showcasing a well-synchronized disaster management system.”
He further added, “The response time was within the expected parameters. Ambulance services arrived promptly, the fire department executed their responsibilities effectively, and the health teams demonstrated quick deployment of medical aid.”
The mock drills were designed not only to assess the preparedness of government agencies but also to involve citizens in disaster awareness. “In rural areas, the participation of local leaders such as sarpanchs, gram sevaks, and residents helped raise grassroots-level awareness,” Dudi noted.
Present during the drill at Vidhan Bhavan were Divisional Commissioner Dr. Chandrakant Pulkundwar, Civil Defence Force Deputy Controller Colonel Prashant Chatur, Additional Commissioner Arun Anandkar, District Surgeon Dr. Nagnath Yamapalle, District Disaster Management Officer Vitthal Banote, and officials from various government departments.
The simultaneous drills, which began at 4 PM, saw participation from a wide spectrum of agencies including the Defence and Civil Defence Forces, NDRF, Police, Health and Revenue Departments, Fire Brigades, Municipal bodies, and volunteers from the Red Cross Society, National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Nehru Yuva Kendra, and several colleges.
“This exercise was conducted purely as a precautionary measure to ensure that if a real crisis arises, we are ready to act swiftly and in a coordinated manner,” Dudi emphasized.
