Phones across the country were buzzed with loud alerts and a notification on Saturday as the Department of Telecommunications rolled out an advanced public alerting framework aimed at enabling timely communication during critical situations. This is part of the testing of the Emergency Alert System to deliver accurate information on time during disasters, according to an official statement.
The initiative is part of efforts to build a more responsive and resilient communication system for citizens across the country. The launch has been done by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
India's homegrown emergency alert system
As part of this rollout, India tested its indigenous Cell Broadcast System to enable instant, geo-targeted disaster alerts nationwide. Citizens may have received test messages in English, Hindi and regional languages if the test channel is enabled in their mobile settings. Authorities clarified that these messages were part of a drill.
People were also notified by the NDMA through text messages in advance about the testing of the alerts scheduled for May 2.
About the cell broadcasting system
As phones rang across the country, a notification popped up informing about the launch through a message by the government.
"India launches Cell Broadcast using indigenous technology, for instant disaster alerting service for its citizens. Alert citizens, safe nation," the notification read.
"No action is required by the public upon receipt of this message. This is a test message. – Government of India," it added.
What citizens need to do
The DoT has clarified that the notification was just a test of the emergency alert system, and users need not panic. These alerts may appear more than once.
"During testing, this message may appear repeatedly. Ignore it; you do not need to do anything," the department said.
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