Raipur, May 17 (PTI) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will flag off 400 vehicles in Raipur on Monday for the ‘Dial 112’ emergency response service to make it more modern, swift and citizen-centric in Chhattisgarh, said officials.
Shah will also launch 33 mobile forensic science laboratories, one for each district of the state, they said.
The Union Home Minister arrived in Raipur late on Sunday evening on a three-day visit to the state, during which he will attend several programmes and chair a meeting of the Central Zonal Council in the Bastar region.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who also holds the home portfolio, inspected the programme venue, parade ground, at Police Training School, Mana Camp, on Sunday and reviewed preparations.
Sharma said the Dial 112 service, currently operational in 16 of the state’s 33 districts, will be expanded to all districts from Monday.
A total of 400 vehicles will be flagged off by the Union minister, and they will be deployed in different parts of the state to strengthen emergency response services, he said.
He said forensic science has become a crucial aspect under the provisions of the country’s three new criminal laws, as offences carrying a punishment of more than seven years require mandatory forensic examination.
“Fully-equipped mobile forensic science laboratories will now be available in every district,” Sharma said.
Officials said the next-generation ‘CG Dial 112’ system is a technology-driven governance initiative integrating police assistance, fire services, medical emergency response, women’s helpline, child helpline, disaster management support and highway emergency services on a single platform.
The upgraded system includes a centralised command and control centre, GPS-enabled emergency response vehicles, GIS-based real-time monitoring, automatic caller location identification and technology-enabled dispatch management facilities, they said.
The new arrangement is expected to improve crime control, women and child safety, road accident response, medical assistance and support during emergencies, officials added.
The Dial 112 service, operational in the state since 2018, has assisted lakhs of citizens during emergencies, they said.