Bhubaneswar: In a significant move to enhance emergency services across the state, the Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, today cleared a proposal to expand the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) with the addition of 4,195 new posts and 654 vehicles.
This ambitious expansion aims to drastically reduce the current 112 response time from 21 minutes to a target of 15 minutes, with an ultimate goal of bringing it down to a mere 10 minutes.
Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, addressing the media after the cabinet meeting, confirmed that the Department of Home presented the proposal, which received the cabinet’s approval.
The ERSS, also known as “Dial 112,” is designed to be an integrated emergency response system, serving as a single emergency number for citizens in distress.
Existing ERSS Framework in Odisha:
The ERSS in Odisha was officially launched on March 19, 2021. It integrates various existing emergency numbers such as Police (100), Fire (101), and Ambulance (108 and 102) into a unified, toll-free number: 112. This system provides round-the-clock service, capable of receiving inputs from multiple channels including voice calls, SMS, emails, panic SOS requests, and web requests through a specially created “112 India App.”
The existing infrastructure includes a State Emergency Response Centre (SERC) digitally connected to 34 District Coordination Centres across the state. These centres are linked to suitably located Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs).
The ERSS also employs a GIS and GPS-based Automatic Vehicle Tracking System (AVTS) for real-time tracking of these vehicles, enabling efficient dispatch to the location of the service requestor. The system was initially sanctioned with an allocation of Rs 157.12 crore and 2,500 posts to ensure its efficient operation.
Recently, in December 2024, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also flagged off 30 new ERSS vehicles for the Commissionerate Police in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, equipped with essential tools for medical assistance and fire suppression, further bolstering the existing fleet.
The state government has approved the continuation of the “Dial 112” scheme until 2029-30 with a total outlay of Rs 2,260.89 crore, reflecting a long-term commitment to this vital service.
The current expansion, with its significant increase in posts and vehicles, is a direct effort to further strengthen this existing network and improve the speed and effectiveness of emergency responses throughout Odisha.