Silent sirens may shriek again under revival plan

The sentinels of the city that once stood guard to warn people about disasters and air raids may soon blare again. 

The state government is working on reviving and upgrading the 311 sirens installed on public and private premises in Mumbai to serve as early-warning systems.

These civil defence sirens, many of which are dysfunctional, will be connected through the Internet for centralised operations to enable public authorities to communicate with people directly during emergencies.

Sources said the central operation of the air-raid precaution system was shutdown in phases after 2004 due to technology obsolescence. "The network was connected via Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited lines. While MTNL exchanges were upgraded, this system remained mechanical. This made repairs difficult as parts were not available," said a government official.

Also, it is not possible to immediately find out if the sirens, particularly those installed on private properties are working. This due to the decentralised nature of the network where each siren has to be operated individually. The government spends nearly Rs 14 lakh a year for their upkeep, without actually putting them to good use.

"We are seeking to revive this early warning mechanism," a senior home department official told DNA. "Today, the system is largely dysfunctional in Mumbai. The 26/7 deluge also damaged some cables. It is necessary for every siren to be operated individually. We need to replace this antiquated system with modern technology."

The Directorate of Civil Defence, the official said, had written to MTNL this month seeking net connectivity for the sirens to be controlled centrally. "This means that in the upgraded system, it will be possible for high-ranking functionaries like the chief minister to communicate directly with the people through the network in case of heavy rains or other emergencies."

WAILING FOR CHANGE

• The sirens were installed after the 1962 Indo-China war and were used to sound air-raid warnings during the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971
   
• Many of them became dysfunctional for lack of upgrade
   
• In July 2006, these sirens were sounded as part of tribute to the victims of train blasts
   
• A total of 492 sirens have been installed in the state including 311 in Mumbai, 85 in Pune, 33 in Nashik, 21 in Tarapur, 16 in Raigad and 26 in Thane. After targeting Mumbai, government plans to extend the project to other cities