112 India review: One-stop app with an easy interface to help people in distress

Get it for: Free on iOS, Android
Key highlight: Multiple emergency services

One-stop-shop solutions can often come in handy, which is exactly what the government’s 112 India app is. The app is pitched as an all-in-one application that can be used to raise an SOS alert with just a single tap in any emergency — be it medical, fire or something else.


Developed as a part of the Government of India’s Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) initiative, the main agenda of the app is to make the required support readily available to citizens in need. This is done with the help of the official response team and local volunteers. That’s right, the app even allows people to register themselves as a volunteer as well.

The service is currently operational in 23 states and Union territories and is available on both Android and iOS platforms.

To use the app, users need to register themselves using their phone number and OTP. Also, the app only asks for necessary information such as name, age and location details if a user wants to register as a volunteer. In addition to this, it also asks users to enter some emergency contact’s details to notify that person in case of any emergency.

The app’s functionality is pretty simple and straightforward. It automatically sends a user’s details such as name, age, emergency contact and location to the local emergency service delivery departments and to nearby volunteers. Along with this, it also generates an automated call to 112 — the State Emergency Control Room — and also notifies the person’s emergency contact.

112 India features a simple-to-use interface with no fancy elements. It has the buttons for four major emergency alert options — Fire, Medical, Police and Other — placed at the bottom of the app and a Google Map with a pin to pinpoint the location of the user. All the four options have a single tap command execution, which means users just need to tap on the button and the app knows what to do.

The app is responsive and does what it claims to do. We tried every option and within a minute, we received a call from the State Emergency Control Room irrespective of the time.

There are other options in the app, such as Volunteer and Emergency Inbox that help users to track the progress of the incident and emergency services delivered.

112 India is a go-to app for certain emergencies with easy-to-use interface and services that can help people in distress.