A wrong helpline number, that was televised by some channels on Thursday, turned the District Disaster Management Cell at Civil Station into ‘railway enquiry cell’ as the department got hundreds of telephone calls asking railway timings.
Some channels had displayed its number as railway helpline number instead of control room number for natural calamity and alert system.
“We are getting a lot of telephone enquiries asking railway timings and regarding the delay of train service. These calls started at 9.30 am and are still continuing,” said Saran, an employee working at the disaster cell.
The district disaster management cell functioning through just a single employee had to take care of the calls.
“We got two to three calls every five minutes that also resulted in badly affecting our duties. Staff shortage also created some problems as I have to pick up each call and give the correct number of the two railway stations in the city,” Saran said.
“We have not issued any number recently as helpline. Those who want to know the timings can contact at the two railway stations,” said an official in the railway department.
It was also alleged that non-functional phone numbers in the railway station also drove people to call at the alternative number.
Earlier, the District Collector had issued an alert in the district owing to heavy rains that lashed out in the city and also announced 2323513 as disaster control room number.
But it was wrongly mentioned by some sections of the media as railway assistance number.
The enquiry number for Ernakulam Junction (South) railway station is 2375131 and for Ernakulam Town (North) railway station is 2395198.