Authorities in India’s Punjab state will conduct a 15-minute statewide blackout mock drill Friday evening as part of civil defence preparedness measures aimed at testing emergency response systems, officials said.

The exercise, directed under orders from the federal Ministry of Home Affairs, will take place across all districts on April 24 at 8 p.m. local time, with the blackout scheduled to run until 8:15 p.m.

Officials said the drill is intended to assess readiness for emergency scenarios, including air raid-like situations, and to strengthen coordination among civil defence agencies.

Sirens will sound at 7:55 p.m. to alert residents ahead of the exercise, followed by public announcements. At 8 p.m., electricity authorities are expected to cut power in designated areas as part of the simulation.

Key locations participating in the drill include the PYTEX Ground, Amritsar in Ranjit Avenue and the Punjab Agricultural University area in Ludhiana, along with other neighbourhoods under local electricity distribution zones.

During the blackout, agencies including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire services, municipal bodies, health departments and police will simulate emergency response activities such as firefighting, rescue operations, first aid and traffic management.

Authorities said a continuous siren will sound at the end of the drill to indicate the all-clear and a return to normal conditions.

Officials added that essential services such as hospitals and water supply systems are not expected to be affected during the exercise.

Similar civil defence drills were conducted last year in Punjab and other Indian border states under broader preparedness initiatives, including exercises aimed at testing evacuation and emergency response systems.