Single Emergency Helpline number launched in India

On tuesday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched a pan-india service of the single emergency helpline number '112' under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS). This helpline number is an integration of police (100), fire (101) and women (1090). For Health (108), it will be integrated with it soon.

Rajnath Singh said, "The helpline number '112' will be activated across the country by next year and anyone in distress can reach the helpline by pressing a single key of phones which will be pre-programmed".

Earlier, The emergency number were launched in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Now it was launched in some more States, Union Territories and also in some cities.

States and Union Territories are Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu. Cities are Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai.

A person can be accessed this emergency helpline number by dial '112' on a phone or press the power button of a smartphone three times quickly to send a panic call to the Emergency Response Centre. In future, normal phone can activate panic call by long press 5 or 9 key.

For this service, the states will have to set up a dedicated Emergency Response Centre (ERC). By this centre, the police can view all events after an emergency call is made. The centres are connected to district command centres and the emergency response vehicles and response to victims are facilitated through them.