Serving a single network bracket, 20 states join pan-India single emergency helpline number 112

New Delhi, April 19: Seeking immediate assistance for anyone in distress, twenty Indian states and union territories have so far joined pan India network of a single emergency helpline number 112. The helpline number, similar to that of ‘911’ in the US, being implemented under the central government’s Nirbhaya Fund, is an integration of police (100), fire (101) and women (1090) networks.

 

The 20 states and UTs include Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland, a Home Ministry official said.

 

The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) envisages a single pan-India emergency number, which is an internationally recognised number, to target all types of emergencies. A panic button is already provided on all mobile phones, which on activation will trigger an emergency call to 112.

 

“The Emergency Response Centre (ERCs), being set up by the States and UTs, can receive panic signal via voice call to 112, email requests on state ERSS website or the 112 mobile app”, the official said.

 

“Location based tracking of victim can be done through location based services of all phones or even more accurately through GPS for smart phones. The 112 India app provides for shout facility designed especially for women, for enlisting support of volunteers, who have registered themselves with the state police, for emergency response”, he added further.

 

“To access emergency services, a person can dial 112 on a phone or press the power button of a smart phone three times quickly to send a panic call to the Emergency Response Centre. In case of a normal phone, a long press of the '5' or '9' key will activate the panic call”, he affirmed.

 

A total of Rs 321.69 crore has been earmarked for this Emergency Response Support System out of which Rs 278.66 crore has already been released to the States and the UTs from the Nirbhaya Fund, set up following the infamous 2012 Delhi gangrape case, another official said signing off all.