Mumbai: Cross Maidan turns danger zone for civil defence drill

The rain notwithstanding, Civil Defence and National Disaster Response Force personnel take part in emergency simulation drills at various locations in the city yesterday. Pics/Shadab Khan

Air sirens went off as soon as dummy bombs were ‘detonated' at Cross Maidan near Bombay Hospital in Marine Lines on Wednesday evening. The well-planned exercise was carried out as part of the nationwide drill, Operation Abhyas, with multiple emergency response teams being mobilised to simulate a coordinated response to a terrorist bombing scenario in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The drill sought to help the authorities assess the preparedness of local emergency services in a densely populated urban setting.

Though sudden showers began during the drill, which started at 4 pm and lasted about 45 minutes, civil defence personnel refused to call off the exercise, stating, "This is exactly what is meant by an emergency." "One cannot predict the nature of the emergency and also the natural uncertainties that may occur, like Wednesday's unseasonal showers," said an officer of the Civil Defence Force, who was constantly explaining each activity in detail.

Various emergency scenarios are simulated during the drill held at Cross Maidan in Marine Lines, on Wednesday. Pics/Shadab Khan

The dummy bombings were followed by controlled fires, which were swiftly brought under control by firefighters, demonstrating the benefits of effective coordination and rapid deployment. Personnel from the Civil Defence Force and the bomb disposal squad also arrived at the spot to cordon off the area and scan for secondary explosive devices.

Ambulances with blaring sirens entered the scene shortly after, accompanied by medical teams who followed evacuation protocols. Paramedics placed ‘injured' volunteers on stretchers and carried them to ambulances, simulating real-time trauma response and triage procedures.

National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, who were also made a part of this drill, acted both as fighting volunteers and victims. Their participation helped create a more realistic crowd dynamic, testing crowd control, victim assistance and communication under pressure. Senior officials from the Mumbai Police, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and Disaster Management Cell, as well as the Maharashtra Home Guard, monitored the entire exercise.

"Drills like these are quite important, especially in highly sensitive cities such as Mumbai, as through such exercises we can not only train defence personnel but also spread awareness among citizens regarding what one should and should not do in such situations," said Prabhat Kumar, director, Maharashtra Civil Defence Force. The authorities have emphasised on the need for constant vigilance and community cooperation in identifying and reporting suspicious activities.