Mock drill by Metro tomorrow to check disaster preparedness

The drill, which is expected to affect metro operations on all lines for less than an hour, is being conducted by Delhi disaster management authority in collaboration with national disaster management authority.

Mock incidents like bomb blast, strong earthquakes and terrorist strikes would be enacted to check the response mechanism, Delhi Government's Divisional Commissioner Vijay Dev told reporters.

The timing of the mock drill has been kept secret with a view to actually check preparedness as in a similar exercise in February, PCR vans had come to the spots before start of the drill as the time was disclose beforehand.

The metro stations where the drill will be conducted are: Dwarka Sec 11, Central Secretariat, Pitampura, Azadpur, Badarpur, Kirti Nagar, Chandni Chowk, Akshardham, Shahdara, Central, Karol Bagh, Noida City Centre and Guru Dronacharya station in Gurgaon.

Dev said the drill is being conducted as part of efforts to put in place an integrated disaster management system in the city. "Delhi metro is the life line of NCR and certain metro stations in Gurgaon and Noida have also been included in this mock drill," he said.

"The mega mock drill conducted in February was huge. It created a good wave of awareness in citizens about vulnerability of Delhi to disasters. The exercise was useful in calibrating response system," Dev said.