Delhi Plunges Into Darkness for 15 Minutes in Rare Mock Drill, Simulates Wartime Emergency
In a rare and dramatic sight, parts of Delhi, including its power-packed heart—Lutyens’ Delhi—went completely dark on Wednesday evening as part of a nationwide emergency preparedness exercise. For 15 minutes, from 8:00 to 8:15 pm, lights were switched off across major landmarks like Parliament, India Gate, and several diplomatic enclaves, leaving the capital’s skyline in an eerie, symbolic blackout.
The move was part of ‘Operation Abhyaas’, a civil defence mock drill initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs in response to escalating tensions with Pakistan, particularly following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Organized by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the blackout was intended to simulate emergency wartime conditions and test readiness.
While the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Prime Minister’s Office, hospitals, and metro stations were exempt to avoid disruption of essential services, the rest of Lutyens’ Delhi—including Connaught Place, Khan Market, and Chandni Chowk—momentarily went dark, leaving both residents and tourists surprised.
“It was like a scene from a movie,” said one local vendor near Connaught Place. “The sudden silence and darkness were chilling, but we knew it was for a reason.”
Officials confirmed the exercise was carried out across multiple districts—from Civic Centre and Wazirabad to residential pockets in Karol Bagh and Greater Kailash. In East Delhi, rain and essential service zones limited full participation, but symbolic involvement was ensured.
Earlier in the day, over 50 security drills had taken place across the city, signaling a coordinated and large-scale simulation of emergency response mechanisms.
Though short, the blackout offered a powerful visual and emotional reminder of Delhi’s preparedness to face unforeseen threats—and the collective resilience of its citizens.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
