Residents of Delhi will soon be able to access multiple emergency services by dialing the single helpline 112 instead of calling multiple numbers.
Announcing the single emergency number, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that the Ministry of Home Affairs has declared 112 as the national emergency number and accordingly, Delhi is moving towards its implementation.
“Depending on the nature of the emergency, police, fire, ambulance and disaster management agencies may be alerted to 112 simultaneously,” Gupta said.
“Help can be sought not only by phone, but also through a mobile app, emergency button, SMS and online platforms, which will ensure that even if a citizen is unable to speak, they can still send a distress signal easily,” Gupta added.
Under the unified helpline system, ERSS 2.0 will also feature a modern dashboard in the control room where details such as real-time monitoring of where the incident has occurred, which vehicle has been dispatched and how long it will take to reach the location, will be available, she added.
ERSS 2.0 is a modern, unified signal processing system that will receive all emergency calls, mobile app alerts, emergency button activations, SMS and web alerts at a single emergency call point (PSAP).
“Once a call or emergency alert is received, the system automatically detects the caller’s location, so the victim does not have to explain where they are. Once the location is identified, the nearest police vehicle, ambulance or fire engine is immediately dispatched from the control room,” she added.
This saves crucial time during the golden hour (first 60 minutes) and ensures faster assistance. Under the new system, a single call will alert police, fire and medical services simultaneously, significantly reducing delays in emergency response, the chief minister said.
In case of any delay, a replacement vehicle can be deployed immediately. This ensures continuous supervision and increases accountability.
Gupta added that the entire plan will be implemented in phases. In the first phase, all existing emergency numbers will be integrated into the 112 line. This will be followed by technical upgrades, awareness campaigns, training of callers and finally an evaluation of the system.
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