At 4 pm on Wednesday, a siren blared at Cross Maidan in south Mumbai, setting off a flurry of activity as part of a security drill simulating an air strike

Organised under Operation Abhyaas, the exercise involved coordinated efforts from multiple emergency response teams

The exercise was led by the Maharashtra State Civil Defence Force, with coordination from local authorities in line with directives from the Government of India, the officials said

The mock drill began with the sound of a siren, signalling a simulated bombardment on a building

The drills were aimed to test the city's emergency response capabilities and inter-agency coordination in the event of a wartime scenario

The drills involved simulation-based exercises designed to evaluate readiness and operational protocols in real-time conditions

Speaking to the press after the drill, Civil Defence Director Prabhat Kumar explained that the exercise was conducted under "Operation Abhyaas." He said that several agencies, including the district administration, BMC, fire brigade, NDRF, Home Guards, NCC, NSS, and paramedic staff, participated in the exercise