Delhi govt tests air raid siren at ITO; plans to install 50 more

New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) In a major step towards strengthening public safety and emergency preparedness, the Delhi government on Friday tested an air raid warning siren installed atop the Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) headquarters at ITO.

The test, conducted in coordination with the Civil Defence Directorate, came in the wake of ongoing military skirmishes between India and Pakistan and the direction of the Union government for citizens and civilian authorities to remain ready for any eventuality, including an air strike.

Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma said that 40 to 50 air raid sirens will be installed on prominent high-rise buildings throughout the city.

These sirens are intended to serve as a crucial warning system during emergencies.

All sirens will be centrally-operated from a dedicated command centre and will be managed by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), he said.

“The siren tested today can be heard up to eight kilometres,” the minister said.

“In the event of an emergency, the sirens will sound for five minutes to alert the public, so they can immediately seek shelter under tables or in basements,” he said.

The plan to install air raid sirens across Delhi marks a significant advancement in the city’s civil defence infrastructure.

The Delhi government is working closely with disaster response agencies to ensure that all key and sensitive locations are covered and that public awareness protocols are effectively communicated.

Teams of the PWD and Civil Defence will continue testing and monitoring these installations in the coming days to ensure that these are fully operational and ready for deployment when needed.

On Wednesday, mock drills were held in 244 districts in India in response to heightened security following India’s air strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

Apart from 15-minute blackouts, air-raid sirens were sounded to practice evacuation by civil defence volunteers and the public.

In Delhi, fire evacuation drills were conducted in schools, malls and multi-storey residential apartments.

--IANS

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