BENGALURU: Dial 112, the pan-India number of the Emergency Response Support System, which was inaugurated with much fanfare by Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had its lines choked on Thursday. Interestingly, the newly set up command centre in Bengaluru has 60 answering points with two Primary Rate Interface (PRI).
“The response was too high until 6 pm on Friday and we received 22,000 calls per hour on an average from Jio network alone. On a positive note, we received a good response but it was unprecedented,” said ADGP (Communication, Logistics and Modernisation) RP Sharma.
The department will be conducting a meeting on Saturday at 12 pm with the technical team and the IT company team- CDAC to discuss the issue. “We will resolve the issue and will take a call on how many new lines should come in. During the survey, it was found that 60 lines were enough sans including inquisitive calls,” Sharma explained.
The Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), which is already in place in 17 states in the country, is said to be implemented in Karnataka in the next few days. The helpline can be used for any emergency including police, fire, ambulance, traffic issues, disasters. The 112 emergency number includes services like 100 for police, 101 for fire brigade, 108 for ambulance and 1091 for women helpline.
Dial 112 had replaced 'Namma 100' -- Bengaluru’s first police helpline. "Namma 100 is focused more on the city. When we get calls from districts, we provide them with the number of the person concerned. But now, the main command centre will be in Bengaluru, and calls from the districts will be transferred directly to the districts," Ilakkiya Karunagaran, Deputy Commissioner of Police (VVIP security), in-charge of Bengaluru Command Centre had said earlier in October.
While Namma 100 took around eight minutes to transfer a call, the new system is expected to take less than five minutes.