Watch: Parts of India go dark in nationwide blackout mock drill

In a historic exercise to simulate a countrywide power blackout, cities in INDIA, including state capitals and densely populated regions, went through timed blackouts as part of a mock drill directed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday, May 7. The exercise, intended to check emergency preparedness and response systems, witnessed lights being turned off in phases in urban and semi-urban regions.

The blackout simulation began anywhere from 6 pm in certain locations and went on well into the night in others. In Surat, Gujarat, the lights went off as part of the simulation without any advance local announcements, checking the readiness of officials and residents alike.

In Uttar Pradesh, chief minister Yogi Adityanath personally oversaw the drill at the Reserve Police Lines in Lucknow. The simulated blackout, carried out in the presence of top officials, was meant to assess security coordination in case of a mass power grid failure.

In Bareilly, a total blackout was organised from 8:00 to 8:10 pm. Several citizens obliged by turning off all electrical devices, including inverters, and refraining from using flashlights or mobile phones.

In the national capital, the NDMC area, which includes Connaught Place and Lutyens’ Delhi, was blacked out from 8:00 to 8:15 pm. However, essential establishments such as Rashtrapati Bhawan, the Prime Minister’s residence, and hospital ICUs were exempted from the power cut. Delhi’s popular Select City Walk mall in Saket also went dark earlier in the evening.

Mumbai’s blackout began at 8:00 pm in areas like Anushakti Nagar, Govandi, Atomic Colony, and Tarapur. Switchyards were used to cut the power supply in a coordinated fashion to simulate real-life conditions of a potential grid failure.

Elsewhere, a full-night blackout was ordered in Gurugram, Haryana, where Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar said the extended darkness would help test emergency systems in a “no-light zone” scenario.

The seaport city of Vishakhapatnam also experienced areas such as Kotha Jalaripeta and Oxygen Towers losing power at about 7:00 pm, while Noida and Guwahati started their drill simultaneously. Patna’s chief minister’s house and the Raj Bhavan joined the drill by turning off lights.

Shimla activated sirens at a little past 7:00 pm to signal the start of its blackout exercise, warning residents and emergency responders of the simulation.

This drill was carried out in the light of increased vigilance regarding national security weaknesses, including attacks on key infrastructure like electricity grids. The MHA is expected to go through reports from all districts and states to gauge readiness and areas requiring improvement.