In a bid to integrate the helpline numbers such as that of fire, ambulance across the country, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked for the implementation of the National Emergency Response System (NERS). Directing the States and Union Territories for the establishment of State Emergency Response Centre (SERC), the MHA, based on the recommendations of the Justice JS Verma Committee, has asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to designate 112 as the “common national single emergency response number.”
Based on the directions of the MHA, the Delhi Police too established a separate helpline phone number 112. According to a senior Delhi Police officer, 112 emergency helpline will be the go-to solution for availing all kinds of emergency services like fire control and ambulances.
According to a senior police official with the Police Control Room (PCR)Unit who is handling the setting up of 112, “In the beginning, we are using the PCR unit at the Haiderpur next to the Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh as a dummy set up where we will combine all the calls coming to us. The calls we receive at 100 will be combined with 112. We currently have 50 lines for 100. With the launch of 112, we will add 10 more lines in the initial phase just for 112.”