Patna – The expansion of the emergency helpline number Dial-112 to encompass rural areas has been initiated, bringing essential services like Bihar Police, Police Hospital, and Fire Brigade closer to residents.
In the second phase of this expansion, not only will individuals from villages and blocks have access to this service, but police teams will also be dispatched for assistance on both four-wheelers and two-wheelers, with plans to procure 550 two-wheelers for this purpose.
According to ADG Jitendra Singh Gangwar of the Police Headquarters, the groundwork for acquiring the necessary resources for the second phase of Dial-112 under the Emergency Response Support System is already underway. The approval for the creation of 19,288 posts for this phase has been granted, encompassing various roles such as 259 inspectors, 1,829 sub-inspectors, 9,992 constables, 2,353 driver constables, and other positions.
With the second phase aiming to significantly expand the coverage of Dial-112, more than 1,400 vehicles, including 884 four-wheelers and 550 two-wheelers, are anticipated to be procured. The police headquarters is in the process of seeking approval for this procurement, and once obtained, the expansion of services is expected to accelerate.
The target is to complete the expansion of services by January, connecting both urban and rural areas of all districts to the Dial-112 emergency helpline. Initially launched by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in July of the previous year, the first phase of Dial-112 commenced with 400 four-wheelers, linking all district headquarters cities to the service. Currently, only all the blocks of Patna district are connected to the service.
The Dial-112 service has been instrumental in assisting an average of one lakh people every month, with actions taken on complaints from approximately 10 lakh people till mid-November. The continuous review of the service at the police headquarters level has led to an enhancement in the number of police vehicles, particularly in sensitive areas with a high number of complaints, resulting in a reduced police response time of 19 minutes.
