The Government has decided to open three new child helpline centres in Kolkata, Gurgaon and Chennai which will cover 500 cities and towns. Childline — the 24-hour helpline — started in 1996 and based in Mumbai, currently reaches out to 282 locations across India with the help of 543 partners, including Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Tata Consultation Services. “The three centres will be in Kolkata, Chennai and in Gurgaon. The service reach (of the centres) will be expanded to 500 cities and towns in about two years,” said WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi. The Childline, which can be reached on 1098, has reportedly received 38,22,081 this year of which four per cent were about missing children.