Chandigarh/New Delhi, May 8 — Amid heightened military and diplomatic tension between India and Pakistan, authorities have ordered night-time blackouts across several border districts to mitigate risks and maintain public safety.
The blackout directives, effective in key areas of Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu, follow India’s May 7 military strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor,’ which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that left 26 civilians dead.
In Punjab, blackout orders are in effect in Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, and Faridkot. The district administration in Gurdaspur, for instance, has imposed a daily blackout from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., exempting central jail facilities and hospitals. However, authorities instructed that even exempted buildings must ensure windows are covered to block visible light.
Similar restrictions are in place in border areas of Rajasthan and Jammu. The Chandigarh Administration also joined in, announcing a regional blackout, which is being observed in Panchkula (Haryana) and Zirakpur (Punjab) as well.
Officials said the move is precautionary, given the “elevated security situation” following cross-border hostilities. “This is a preventive measure to avoid visibility to any aerial threats,” one senior Punjab official noted.
The government has also advised residents in affected areas to stay indoors during blackout hours and cooperate with local authorities.
Tensions have escalated in recent days following India’s Operation Sindoor, which New Delhi described as a focused strike on terrorist bases. Pakistan has denied involvement in the Pahalgam attack and accused India of airspace violations, warning of a response “at a time and place of its choosing.”
