Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced a single emergency number for the residents of the capital, highlighting that the move falls in line with the decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs
to declare ‘112’ as the national emergency number.
Soon, the residents of Delhi will be able to access multiple emergency services by dialling a unified helpline 112, instead of calling different numbers.
“Depending on the nature of the emergency, the police, fire services, ambulance and disaster management agencies can be alerted simultaneously by dialling 112,” Gupta said.
The Chief Minister further said that assistance can be sought not only on the phone but also via a mobile app, an emergency button, or even SMS.
“Assistance can be sought not only by phone but also via a mobile app, an emergency button, SMS, and online platforms, ensuring that even if a citizen is unable to speak, they can still send a distress signal with ease,” she said.
Under the unified helpline system, ERSS (Emergency Response Support System) 2.0 will also feature a modern dashboard in the control room where key details such as the location of the incident, which vehicle has been dispatched for assistance and how much time it will take to reach the site will be available, said CM Gupta.
“As soon as a call or emergency alert is received, the system automatically detects the caller’s location, eliminating the need for the victim to explain where they are. Once the location is identified, the nearest police vehicle, ambulance, or fire tender is immediately dispatched from the control room,” she added.
According to the Chief Minister, a single call will alert the police, fire, and medical services simultaneously under the new system, with the move aiming to reduce delays in emergency response.
She added that the entire plan will be implemented in phases – with the first being the integration of all existing emergency numbers into 112, followed by technical upgrades, public awareness campaigns, training of call-receivers, and evaluation of the system.
