Navi Mumbai: In a major demonstration of emergency preparedness, a large-scale mock drill titled ‘Operation Abhyas’ was successfully conducted at Neelsiddhi Towers, Sector 12, Vashi, under the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The exercise aimed to assess and enhance the readiness of administrative bodies and citizens in the event of a disaster or emergency situation.
The drill commenced at 4:30 PM with a siren signaling a simulated airstrike/bomb attack scenario. Following this, citizens were immediately guided to safe zones while emergency responders launched coordinated search and rescue operations. Twenty mock-injured individuals were given first aid on-site, and five persons trapped in the building were rescued by the fire brigade team.
Senior officials including District Collector and Civil Defence Controller Ashok Shingare, NMMC Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde, Additional Collector Harishchandra Patil, and Deputy Collector Dr. Sandeep Mane supervised the drill. The event was carried out under the leadership of Tehsildar Umesh Patil and Deputy Controller of Civil Defence Vijay Jadhav, along with several civic and disaster management officials.
Citizens played a commendable role by following instructions without panic, showcasing excellent public cooperation. The drill was carefully executed with no misinformation or rumors, ensuring public safety throughout.
Post-drill, dignitaries including former Civil Defence Additional Controller Dhairyashil Jadhav, NMMC Additional Commissioner Sunil Pawar, and Deputy Controller Vijay Jadhav addressed the gathering, underlining the significance of civil defence and home guard forces in disaster response. They reiterated that the drill was a preparedness exercise only, and no actual emergency had taken place.
The drill witnessed active participation from multiple agencies including Revenue, Health, Police, Civil Defence, Home Guards, Thane Municipal Corporation, Disaster Response Force (TDRF), NMMC Fire Brigade, building security staff, and residents of Neelsiddhi Towers.
The successful completion of ‘Operation Abhyas’ has reaffirmed Navi Mumbai’s preparedness and inter-agency coordination in handling large-scale emergencies.
