Dial ‘112’ for Help: All-in-one emergency helpline launched in Mumbai, 16 States & UTs
‘112’ will integrate police (100), fire (101), health (108) and women (1090) helpline numbers on the lines of United States’ ‘911’ all-in-one emergency service (Representational Image, Courtesy: gginews.in)
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday launched the pan-India single emergency helpline number ‘112’, on the lines of ‘911’ in the United States, for seeking immediate assistance in urgent matters.
The minister launched various initiatives for women safety today, which include the launch of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) in 16 states, Union Territories and Mumbai city; the Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO) and the safe city implementation monitoring portal.
Apart from Mumbai, the 16 states and UTs where the pan-India helpline was launched today include Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman, Dadar Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir.
The ERSS is an integration of police (100), fire (101), health (108) and women (1090) helpline numbers to provide emergency services through a single number, ‘112’.
To access the emergency services, one can 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 (ERC).
In case of a normal phone, a long press of the ‘5’ or ‘9’ key will activate the panic call function.
People can also log onto the ERSS’ website for the state and lodge emergency Email or send SOS alert to state ERC. Additionally, they can use the ‘112’ India mobile app, which is available free on the Google Play Store and Apple store.
The single number for various emergency services, which is similar to the ‘911’ in the US, will be gradually rolled out across the country.
A pan-India single number (112) based Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) is being launched in New Delhi. Join… https://t.co/CCQLO09TBo
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 19, 2019
The home minister also launched the Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO), which is meant for law enforcement agencies in the country.
The system is an online module available to law enforcement agencies at all levels — national, state, district and police station — and allows the state to undertake real-time monitoring and management for completion of investigation in rape cases in two months.
It leverages the existing CCTNS database, which covers nearly 15000 police stations in the country. The system is meant to strengthen the state’s ability to investigate and prosecute rape cases.
Further, the safe city implementation monitoring (SCIM) portal will instil a sense of security in women in metro cities.
The government has identified eight cities – Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Lucknow – for the implementation of safe city project in the first phase.
The project, whose cost is pegged at Rs 2,919 crore, will be funded under the Nirbhaya Fund scheme.
