New Delhi, September 26: A single emergency number 112, launched for Delhi on Wednesday, will soon become operational across India, said Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G. Kishan Reddy on Thursday. "We have coincided all emergency and helpline numbers of Delhi and introduced one single helpline number - 112. It will be operational across the nation very soon," Kishan Reddy told reporters. The single number for emergency services is similar to '911' in the United States. 112 Single Emergency Helpline Number Launched in Delhi.

The Delhi Police on Wednesday launched the single emergency helpline number '112', in place of three - 100, 101 and 102 - for immediate assistance. Even if a person dials 100 or 101 or 102, the call will re-directed to 112. Earlier, calls made to 100 or 101 were recorded at the police control room, located at the police headquarters. The police post or police vehicle concerned was then informed through wireless communication system. It used to consume a lot of time.

But now, the call will immediately get connected to the police post without delay. The helpline '112' is already active in Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland.

In February this year, then Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the helpline number ‘112’ will be activated across the country by next year. To access emergency services, a person can dial ‘112’ on a phone or press the power button of a smartphone three times quickly to send a panic call to the Emergency Response Centre. In case of a normal phone, a long press of the ‘5’ or ‘9’ key will activate the panic call.

People can also log onto the ERSS website for the respective state and send an emergency email or SOS alert to state ERC. They can use ‘112’ India mobile app, which is available free on Google Play Store and Apple Store. (With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 26, 2019 07:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).