Air raid siren testing carried out in Delhi's ITO amid high alert | Watch

The civil defence directorate carried out testing of an air raid siren installed atop the multi-storey PWD building in ITO on Friday afternoon.  Delhi minister Parvesh Verma was present at the site.

The testing commenced at 3 pm and was carried out for a period of 15-20 minutes.

Delhi: An air raid siren was tested at the PWD headquarters/old police headquarters located at ITO. Minister Parvesh Verma was present at the site. pic.twitter.com/cN8NBNDnVT

IANS (@ians_india) May 9, 2025

The testing comes amid intensified hostilities between India and Pakistan involving missile attacks and shelling, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that led to the killing of 26 people, mostly tourists.

The general public was urged by the government to remain calm and not to panic during the testing exercise.

Strollers at India Gate, the iconic war memorial, were asked to leave, and traffic there was regulated. Announcements were made by the police, asking people to vacate the area.

Officials across Delhi’s districts have been holding review meetings to check their readiness for any emergency. These meetings involve health, disaster management, and law enforcement departments. Extra police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at key places such as markets, malls, metro stations, hotels, and residential areas. Airport security and border checks have also been increased. Vehicles entering Delhi are being thoroughly inspected, news agency PTI reported.

Special commissioners and deputy commissioners in all 15 police districts are holding regular meetings to coordinate the security arrangements. Officers at various levels, from ACPs to SHOs, have been briefed on how to handle any possible situation, according to the report.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Abhishek Dhania, in a statement, said, "As part of ongoing anti-terror measures, the police conducted a thorough security inspection at the Mayur Vihar Phase-1 Metro Station, a vital public installation. During the visit, CISF personnel were briefed, and a focused coordination meeting was held."

"The station is secured with 41 operational CCTV cameras monitoring every critical point. In each shift, 7 male and 2 female CISF personnel remain deployed to ensure robust, round-the-clock security. This will ensure the safety of the commuters," he added.

Bomb Disposal Squads (BDS) have conducted checks at crowded public places such as shopping malls and hotels to detect and prevent any sabotage attempts. In southwest Delhi, officials confirmed that these anti-sabotage drills are being done regularly to stay prepared for any threats.