Air raid sirens inaudible; long-range systems being installed in Mohali

The administration on Friday began installing new air raid sirens with 30 requisitioned for Kharar and 20 for Zirakpur and Dera Bassi.

Mohali Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal said, “We are comprehensively augmenting the early warning system, with some sirens having a range of up to 15 km. The orders were placed yesterday, and installation is expected to be completed by this evening.”

Residents of Mohali city, Kharar, Gharuan and Zirakpur have reported that existing air raid sirens are inaudible.

Currently, only 10 limited-range sirens are operational in Zirakpur and Dera Bassi. Officials remained tight-lipped over the exact number of functioning sirens in Mohali and Kharar, claiming that the system is being strengthened today.

Most of the new sirens are being installed at Municipal offices, BDPOs, and government buildings in Dera Bassi. In Kharar, sirens and loudspeakers are also being placed at gurdwaras and other religious institutions.

Rosters are being prepared to ensure the facilities are manned in shifts, officials said.

“Probably due to the high population density in these areas, existing sirens were not effective,” they reasoned.

The administration admitted that the current sirens are being operated on a standalone basis, and synchronisation at the subdivision level remains a challenge.

“As of now, there is no integrated mechanism,” an official said.