Delhi: Blackout in NDMC Area from 8-8.15 Tonight as Part of Nationwide Mock Drill | Check Details

New Delhi: In line with a nationwide civil defence exercise, parts of the national capital, including the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area, will face a brief power outage tonight. The blackout, scheduled between 8:00 and 8:15 pm, is part of a mock drill initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to assess emergency preparedness following the Pahalgam Terror attack after which India launched Operation Sindoor in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. 

Nationwide Drills Begin at 4 pm

Mock drills began across several Indian states starting 4 pm on Tuesday. Cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and regions in Punjab have been asked to simulate short-duration blackouts—lasting around 10 to 15 minutes—to test coordinated responses to sudden disruptions in case of national emergencies.

Operation Sindoor Sets Backdrop for Drill

The timing of this nationwide drill is significant. It comes on the same day India launched Operation Sindoor, a precision military strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The joint operation, carried out after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, targeted nine terror launchpads across the border.

The MHA, in its advisory, said the drill was necessary given the "emerging and evolving threats" India faces in the wake of cross-border tensions.

Blackouts in Other Cities Too

Apart from the NDMC zone in Delhi, cities like Mumbai (Govandi, Tarapur) and locations across Punjab will also take part in the drill through controlled blackouts and civil defence mobilisations.

Officials have clarified that there is no need for panic, and citizens are advised to stay indoors, avoid elevators, and keep emergency lights or flashlights handy during the brief outage.