Pune Police Conduct Mock Drill Across City; Traffic Disrupted in Deccan Area, MG Road and Vishrantwadi

Pune, 3rd October 2025: Pune Police, along with multiple security and emergency response agencies, conducted a surprise mock drill at three key locations in the city on Friday afternoon. The exercise was carried out at Deccan Gymkhana (from Goodluck Chowk to Garware subway), MG Road in the Camp area, DRDO’s Research & Development Establishment (Engineers) (R&DE(Engrs)) in Vishrantwadi and Pune airport.

The mock exercise simulated bomb blast scenarios at the three sites and aircraft hijacking at Pune airport, testing the coordination and readiness of various agencies. Teams from the Pune Police Quick Response Team (QRT), State Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Fire Brigade, Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), and the Health Department participated in the drill.

Following the simulated alerts, the areas were immediately cordoned off, and traffic police diverted vehicles to alternative routes. The traffic police had earlier issued advisories saying there would be maintenance work from 1 pm to 4 pm on MG Road and Deccan Corner (near Garware subway). This sudden diversion led to heavy congestion in nearby areas, including Bhandarkar Road, Prabhat Road, and Karve Road in Deccan Gymkhana, as well as in Vishrantwadi. Many commuters were caught in traffic jams and initially unaware of the reason behind the road closures. There was also some panic among residents and commuters.

While citizens faced inconvenience due to traffic disruptions, they expressed relief after learning that it was part of a police preparedness exercise.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Dr. Sandeep Bhajibhakare said, “Such mock drills are not announced in advance as they are meant to test the proficiency and coordination of different agencies. The objective is to ensure preparedness for any untoward incident.”