VISAKHAPATNAM/GUNTUR: A civil mock drill will be conducted in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday as part of a nationwide exercise directed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to assess preparedness and create awareness among citizens on response during emergency situations.
It may be noted that Visakhapatnam is the only district in Andhra Pradesh selected for the exercise. The drill will be conducted at 4 pm in the vicinity of Queen Mary School under the One Town limits.
As part of the simulation, a war-like scenario will be created, which will include sirens, power outages, and the evacuation of local residents. The purpose is to educate the public on safety protocols, including measures to take during an air-raid warning or blackout, and the importance of maintaining emergency supplies at home.
On Tuesday evening, Visakhapatnam District Collector MN Harendhira Prasad chaired a review meeting at the Collectorate to discuss the readiness for the drill. He issued specific instructions to all departments involved and stressed the importance of public awareness and coordination during such exercises. The session will also address self-protection training for students and residents, implementation of blackout procedures, safeguarding key infrastructure, and updating evacuation plans for war-like situations.
A major exercise and mock drill will be conducted at Air Force Base in Suryalanka of Bapatla district on Wednesday. The drill is scheduled to begin at 7:30 am at the Air Force Base, followed by a second session at 10:00 am in Bapatla Town. A briefing session will be conducted at 2:00 pm at the Suryalanka Air Base, with senior officials including Prasad.
These drills aim to provide vital hands-on experience and help assess coordination between civil and defence departments. Joint Collector K Mayur Ashok, and officials from the NDRF, Army, Navy, and others were present.