Haryana: In a significant step towards enhancing disaster readiness ahead of the monsoon season, the Haryana government has announced a statewide flood mock drill scheduled for May 14, which will be conducted across 13 flood-prone districts, including major urban centres such as Gurugram and Faridabad. The initiative is being viewed as a crucial effort to test emergency systems and strengthen coordination among multiple agencies in real-time disaster situations.
Officials from the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Haryana, confirmed that the exercise is being conducted in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The drill is part of the state’s annual preparedness plan and is aimed at ensuring that administrative machinery remains fully equipped to handle any flood-related emergencies during the monsoon period.
Unlike a single-day activity, the mock drill will be executed in a three-phase structured format. The first phase will begin on May 6 with an orientation and coordination conference, held through video conferencing. This session will bring together district officials, emergency response teams, and other stakeholders to clearly define roles, responsibilities, and communication protocols.
The second phase will take place on May 12 in the form of a table-top exercise, where officials will simulate different flood scenarios in a controlled environment. This exercise is designed to assess preparedness levels, evaluate response strategies, and identify coordination gaps between departments before actual field execution.
The final and most important phase will be conducted on May 14 as a full-scale ground-level mock drill across all selected districts. During this exercise, district administration, police, health departments, fire services, and disaster response teams will participate in simulated rescue and relief operations, closely mirroring real-life flood conditions.
The 13 districts identified for this exercise include Gurugram, Faridabad, Ambala, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, Panipat, Palwal, Sirsa, Sonipat, and Yamunanagar. These regions have been chosen due to their flood vulnerability, proximity to rivers and canals, and low-lying geographical terrain, which makes them more prone to waterlogging and flooding during heavy rainfall.
Officials have stated that the main objective of the drill is to evaluate Disaster Management Plans (DMPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and the Incident Response System (IRS). The exercise will help determine how efficiently different departments can work together under pressure during emergency situations.
Another key focus of the initiative is to identify gaps in manpower, equipment availability, communication systems, and logistics support. Authorities believe that detecting these shortcomings in advance will help strengthen preparedness and reduce the risk of damage and loss of life during actual disasters.
The government is also placing strong emphasis on public awareness and community participation. Residents in vulnerable areas will be educated about evacuation routes, emergency contacts, and safety protocols to follow during flood situations. Officials say that community involvement plays a critical role in minimizing casualties during natural disasters.
Experts highlight that such large-scale mock drills are especially important for rapidly urbanising regions like Gurugram and Faridabad, where infrastructure stress, population growth, and climate variability increase the risk and impact of flooding.
Overall, the upcoming Haryana flood mock drill on May 14 is being seen as a comprehensive preparedness initiative aimed at ensuring that the state’s disaster response system is efficient, coordinated, and capable of responding swiftly in real emergency conditions.
