Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) ‘Dial 112’, a toll-free number for all emergency services including police, fire and health.
“The integrated single-number service will be very beneficial for everyone, especially women and elderly persons,” Mr. Patnaik said on March 19.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated the State Emergency Response Centre (SERC) and flagged off the emergency response vehicles fitted with mobile data terminals.
The State government has allocated ₹157.12 crore and 2,500 posts for the project, an official release said.
With the introduction of the new response system, existing emergency numbers like 100 (police), 101 (fire) and 108 (ambulance) will be integrated into the 24/7 service — 112, a toll- free number — in a phased manner, it said.
The SERC, digitally connected to 34 district coordination centres and strategically located emergency response vehicles, will respond to voice calls, SMSes, emails and web requests for help, Mr. Patnaik said.
He appealed to the people to download the 112 India mobile application and register themselves.
A caller will also be able to send distress signals by pressing the power button on a smartphone three times in quick succession or by a long press of the number 5 or 9 keys on a feature phone to activate a panic call.
People can also log on to the State ERSS website www.or.erss.in to place an SOS alert. The 112 India application, available on Google Play Store and Apple Store, can also activate a panic call.
A total of 236 vehicles, 198 professional call takers and 2,341 police personnel of various ranks have been deployed by the State government to efficiently run the system.
A large number of police vehicles, both two and four-wheeler vehicles, will be linked with the emergency response system, an official said.
