Gurgaon: Mock earthquake drill likely to hit traffic today

Gurgaon: A mock earthquake rescue drill will be held in Gurgaon, including on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, on Thursday and will affect traffic, an official said on Wednesday. The mock drill will affect the flow of traffic on Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, causing long jams for a few hours, the official said on the condition of anonymity.

Organised by Gurgaon Disaster Management Authority (GDMA) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the mock drill is aimed at checking the level of preparedness of officials and citizens to tackle natural calamities.

It will start on Thursday at 11 am at the Government College in Sector 14 on Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road, Mini Secretariat near Rajiv Chowk on the expressway and at the General Hospital flyover on Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway near 32nd Milestone. All schools have also been asked to conduct the drill.

The mock drill is aimed at checking the level of preparedness of officials and citizens to tackle natural calamities.

Deputy Commissioner of Police PC Meena will be in charge of the exercise. Though Gurgaon's hundreds of high-rise buildings are believed to be sensitive to earthquakes, they have been kept out of the drill.

A mock earthquake of a hypothetical intensity eight on the Richter Scale with its epicentre in district Mandi of Himachal Pradesh, about 300 km from Gurgaon, has been planned for February 11 at 11 am, the official said.

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