Ambala: In response to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan and heightened intelligence alerts about potential air strikes or drone attacks, the district administration in Ambala, Haryana has imposed a strict daily 10-hour blackout beginning Friday night.
The blackout will be enforced from 8 PM to 6 AM every day until further notice, as per an official order issued by Deputy Commissioner of Ambala, Mr Ajay Singh Tomer, a 2012 batch IAS officer, under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, citing “apprehended danger.”
Key Restrictions Under the Order:
- No use of electricity or outdoor lighting from 8 PM to 6 AM.
- Lights inside homes must be shielded so no light escapes through windows or doors.
- Use of inverters and generators for outdoor lighting is banned. These may only be used for indoor purposes, with thick curtains drawn to block all light from escaping.
- Street lights, billboards, and external lighting from shops, homes, and public spaces must remain off during blackout hours.
“The use of outdoor lighting during the blackout period may attract terrorist or drone attacks,” the order states, warning that any visible illumination could be interpreted as a potential target by hostile elements.
Trigger: Air Raid Siren and Military Alert
The crackdown follows an air raid siren that was sounded on Friday at 10:20 AM, reportedly after the Indian Air Force Station in Ambala issued a warning about a possible aerial threat. The public was advised to remain indoors and avoid balconies or rooftops during the alert.
Ambala, home to one of the Indian Air Force’s key operational airbases, is a high-value strategic location and considered vulnerable in the event of cross-border hostilities.
Public Awareness and Enforcement
The order will be publicly announced via mobile publicity vans, and copies will be posted at:
- District courts
- Offices of SP, DSPs, and police stations
- Security branches
- Municipal corporations and panchayats
- Tehsil offices and bus stands
The Superintendent of Police, Ambala, has been tasked with enforcing the blackout. Any violation of the order may result in prosecution under Section 223 of BNSS, the new criminal code framework introduced in 2023.
Precaution Amid Operation Sindoor Fallout
The blackout order comes just a day after India repelled over 50 hostile drones launched from Pakistan in a coordinated night attack, targeting military installations in Jammu, Pathankot, Udhampur, and Akhnoor. The Indian military has since heightened its state of alert, and the Territorial Army has been mobilised in select commands.
This is the first blackout of its kind in recent years, reflecting growing fears of unconventional warfare including drone-based strikes. Citizens are advised to strictly comply with orders to ensure personal and national safety.
