The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), along with the Indian Army and state governments of Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, will conduct Exercise Suraksha Chakra from July 29 to August 1 across 18 districts in the Delhi-NCR.
The National Capital Region (NCR) is gearing up for one of the largest disaster preparedness drills ever conducted in the country. Titled ‘Exercise Suraksha Chakra’, the four-day, multi-agency, multi-state disaster management exercise will take place from July 29 to August 1, covering all 11 districts of Delhi along with select districts in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Jointly organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with the Indian Army and the state governments of Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, the drill aims to enhance interagency coordination and test emergency response to major crises such as earthquakes and industrial chemical disasters.
Earthquake simulation across 18 districts on August 1 The highlight of the exercise will be a full-scale mock drill on August 1, simulating the response to a major earthquake. This drill will be held simultaneously across 18 districts—including all districts in Delhi, five districts in Haryana (Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, Nuh, and Rewari), and two in Uttar Pradesh (Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad).
Authorities have issued a public advisory urging residents not to panic. Citizens may observe heightened emergency activity across the NCR, including Increased movement of ambulances, fire engines, police, and army vehicles Deployment of NDRF, Armed Forces, Civil Defence, and other emergency personnel Use of sirens and loudspeakers to simulate alerts Temporary facilities such as Incident Command Posts and Relief Camps Mock rescue and medical aid operations involving actors as simulated victims Officials have stressed that these activities are part of a pre-planned drill and not an actual emergency.
Four-day structure of ‘Exercise Suraksha Chakra’ The drill will unfold in three major phases: July 29: A high-level Symposium at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, where senior officials will review regional disaster risk profiles and response frameworks. July 30: A Tabletop Exercise (TTEx) simulating emergency scenarios for disaster managers to test coordination, planning, and decision-making. August 1: The Field Mock Exercise, managed by the Delhi State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), will test on-ground emergency response across NCR.
A coordinated “whole-of-government” approach The mega drill will bring together a wide range of agencies and institutions, including Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Centre for Seismology (NCS) State disaster management authorities Civil society organisations and community volunteers Officials say the aim is to create a more resilient NCR, capable of mounting an effective and coordinated response during real emergencies.
Residents are urged to cooperate fully with authorities during the drill and avoid spreading rumours or misinformation. The entire effort is geared toward enhancing public safety and preparedness in one of India’s most densely populated and high-risk urban regions.