Patna: As tensions simmer along the India-Pakistan border, Bihar’s Disaster Management Department has begun ramping up emergency preparedness, including a state-wide blackout mock drill and plans to expand its civil defence volunteer base.
Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit chaired a high-level meeting on Friday to review readiness for any potential emergency scenario. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, he announced that blackout mock drills—brief power outages accompanied by warning sirens—would soon be carried out across the state.
“Currently, we have around 2,000 civil defence volunteers. This number will be significantly increased,” said Amrit. Organisations such as the National Cadet Corps (NCC), National Service Scheme (NSS), Scout and Guide, and Disaster Mitras will be integrated into the civil defence framework, with common citizens also encouraged to volunteer.
Health infrastructure is being put on alert as well. The meeting reviewed preparedness in hospitals across the state, focusing on medical emergencies, oxygen and bed availability, stretchers, and the mobilisation of healthcare personnel. Institutions including AIIMS Patna, IGIMS and various medical colleges participated in the discussions, with instructions to reserve beds for potential emergencies.
This heightened state of readiness follows a coordinated blackout drill conducted on May 7 in Patna, Purnia, Katihar, Araria, Kishanganj and Begusarai. During the exercise, a sudden power outage was followed by sirens echoing through city streets, replicating the conditions of a wartime emergency. In Patna alone, 80 sirens were activated simultaneously—an event not seen since the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
Although rural areas were not included in the physical drills, officials reported that villagers were briefed on wartime protocols and informed about how to respond during emergencies.
The initiative signals a rare mobilisation of both civilian and administrative machinery in Bihar, as precautionary measures gather pace amid a tense geopolitical backdrop.
