The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) will conduct a nationwide test of the Cell Broadcast Alert System on May 2, 2026. Mobile phone users across Delhi NCR and all state and Union Territory capitals will receive a test emergency alert.
The alert may include a loud siren-like sound or vibration, even if phones are on silent mode. The Cell Broadcast System (CBS) allows authorities to send messages to all mobile devices within a specific geographic area without using individual phone numbers.
As of midday, CBS messages will be delivered instantly to all compatible devices in the target zone and are not affected by network congestion. The test aims to evaluate system performance, device compatibility, and multilingual delivery across different telecom networks.
The test alerts will be sent to mobile phones across Andhra Pradesh’s capital region on May 2, 2026, between 11:15 am and 12:15 pm. Citizens are advised not to panic or take any action upon receiving the test message.
States that are election-bound or share borders with neighboring countries will be exempted from the test. This is purely a technical exercise intended to improve system performance.
The initiative is part of India’s broader push to enhance real-time disaster response capabilities. The alert message will state that it is a test alert and no action is required after receiving it.
