Delhi under tight security, 100 air sirens for city soon

As tensions between India and Pakistan remain at a decades-long high, the Delhi government on Friday started the process of installing 100 air raid sirens across the city to prepare residents for potential aerial threats.

- Alok KN Mishra and Jignasa Sinha

NEW DELHI: These sirens, meant to cover the entire Capital, are intended to serve as an early warning system in the event of an air raid.

Delhi Police, meanwhile, has been placed on high alert and instructed to maintain heightened vigilance in high-footfall zones such as markets, malls, and tourist areas.

On Friday afternoon, the Directorate of Civil Defence (DCD) carried out the first test of an air raid siren atop the Public Works Department (PWD) headquarters at ITO. The siren was activated at 3.05pm, and its sound could be heard in areas around Vikas Marg and central Delhi. Police had issued public advisories in advance, asking people not to panic.

To be sure, despite the warning, many on the ground said the siren wasn't particularly loud despite remaining on for more than 10 minutes.

"We were alerted beforehand, and people were more curious than scared. But the sound was faint; I could barely hear it," said Rajeev Kumar, a fruit seller near the ITO junction.

Government officials have yet to explain why the sirens weren't louder, but an official said they have taken note of the issue and the matter is under review. "The options available to fix it are being explored, including whether a device with a higher decibel should be installed or more devices should be installed in close proximity," the official said, asking not to be named.

A senior official involved in the project said each of the 11 districts will have roughly 10 sirens placed at strategic locations. However, a detailed location-wise deployment plan has not yet been shared.