Uttar Pradesh’s 112 Service Handles Over Two Lakh Calls During Diwali Surge

During the festive stretch that encompassed the three main days of Diwali, Uttar Pradesh’s 112 emergency response centre logged an unprecedented volume of calls, surpassing two hundred thousand. The surge encompassed a wide spectrum of requests, ranging from fire alerts and traffic accidents to medical emergencies and reports of public disturbances. To cope with the influx, the state mobilised extra call‑centre operators, dispatched additional ambulance units, and coordinated with local police stations to ensure rapid response times.

The spike in emergency calls underscores the broader challenge of managing public safety during large‑scale celebrations, where heightened activity often leads to increased incidents. Government officials highlighted the importance of public awareness campaigns that encourage responsible firecracker usage, safe crowd management, and prompt reporting of hazards. Critics, however, argue that the sheer volume of calls points to systemic gaps in preventive measures, suggesting that more robust pre‑emptive policing and community outreach could reduce reliance on reactive emergency services.

In the immediate aftermath, the state reported a modest decline in response times compared to previous years, attributing the improvement to the temporary augmentation of resources. Looking ahead, the experience may inform the design of a scalable emergency response model that can be activated during future festivals and mass gatherings, potentially integrating predictive analytics to anticipate call volumes and allocate assets more efficiently.