Single Emergency Helpline Number '112' Launched

Finally, India is getting its single emergency helpline number. The number is just like '911' in the United States. Initiating the helpline number, the home minister Rajnath Singh said, "The helpline number '112' will be activated across the country by next year and anyone in distress can reach the helpline by pressing a single key on phones which will be pre-programmed."

All you need to know about the single-emergency number-

1. '112' is pan-India single emergency helpline number, the emergency number has been launched under Emergency Response Support System (ERSS)

2. The '112' emergency number will connect to Police, Fire, and Women helplines as of now. The '112' number is an amalgamation of Police (100), Fire (101) and Women (1090) helpline numbers. The main motto is to provide all these emergency services through a single number.

3. The Health helpline (108) will be incorporated with it soon, according to officials.

4. With the new single-emergency number in place, citizens will no longer have to remember multiple helpline numbers.

5. Today the '112' number has been launched in 16 states and union territories. These include Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman, Dadar Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Jammu and Kashmir.

6. How it works: To access the '112' emergency services, one can dial the number on a phone or press the power button three times quickly to send a panic call to the Emergency Response Centre (ERC).

7. Long press '5' or '9' on feature phones, these keys too will activate the panic call function.

8. '112' helpline has already been launched in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland. In November 2018 Himachal Pradesh became the first state to launch the emergency number ‘112’.

9. The emergency number will be gradually rolled out across the country.