Agartala, Nov 14: A major earthquake preparedness drill was conducted at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala, organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Airport Authority of India (AAI) on Thursday. The drill focused on rescue operations and emergency response during and after an earthquake.

The exercise simulated an earthquake scenario and tested the coordination of various agencies in handling the aftermath. Among those who participated were West Tripura District Magistrate, Dr. Vishal Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer, Brijesh Pandey, West Tripura District Police Superintendent, Kiran Kumar K, Major General, Ajay Kumar Verma from NDMA, Kailash Chandra Mina, Director of MBB Airport, J.V. Doati, Director of the Disaster Management Department and several others.

A wide range of rescue teams took part in the drill, including personnel from the Airport Authority of India, NDRF, Assam Rifles, SDRF, Fire Service, Tripura Police, BSF, CRPF, Forest Department, NEEPCO, ONGC, GAIL, TNGCL, Civil Defence, Scouts and Guides, NCC, Health Department, Public Works Department, and other local response teams.

CEO Pandey emphasized that the drill was organized to raise public awareness about disaster preparedness and to ensure the safety of passengers at the airport. Pandey also highlighted that similar drills would be held in the future to improve response strategies and readiness in disaster situations. The exercise also included a fire safety drill to further enhance preparedness.