Operation Sindoor: Gurdaspur Under Blackout Order Amid Tensions
As hostilities along the India-Pakistan border continue to escalate under the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, the Government of India, in coordination with the Punjab state administration, has ordered a complete nighttime blackout in Gurdaspur district. The order, issued under the Civil Defence Act, 1968, comes into effect from May 8, 2025, and will remain enforced from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM daily until further notice.
The measure is part of precautionary steps aimed at reducing visibility of civilian areas to hostile surveillance or missile targeting systems during a time of heightened conflict. Operation Sindoor, India’s ongoing military campaign in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, has led to a sharp increase in cross-border military activity, including artillery exchanges and airspace alerts.
Official Notification and Exemptions
The official statement read, “Due to a sensitive environment on the Indo-Pak border, guidelines of the Government of India and the Government of Punjab. According to this, further orders will be issued from 08.05.2025 to deal with the emergency situation under the Civil Defense Act 1968. From 9.00 pm to 5.00 am the next day, there will be complete ‘black out’ in district Gurdaspur.”
The order, however, exempts certain critical establishments from the blackout, including Central Jail Gurdaspur and all hospitals. Despite the exemption, these facilities have been instructed to keep their windows sealed from 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM, minimizing light emission that could attract targeting.
Security Measures Across Border Districts
Punjab, one of the most vulnerable Indian states during Indo-Pak conflicts, has stepped up its security posture in recent days. Police leaves have been canceled, border patrols intensified, and evacuation drills carried out in several villages along the international border. The blackout in Gurdaspur represents the first formal imposition of wartime civil defence protocols in the region since tensions reignited.
As Operation Sindoor continues to target high-value terrorist and military infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, both central and state authorities are bracing for retaliatory strikes or escalation, prompting civil protection measures like blackouts and controlled airspace operations.
