J&K Special control room gets 30,000 calls, messages in two days

SRINAGAR: The Special Control Room, set up by Jammu and Kashmir Police here to help people in situations arising due to rain-triggered deluge, received around 30,000 calls and messages in two days.

"We received around 30,000 calls and WhatsApp messages in the Control Room which was established in PCR Srinagar to help people in situations arising due to bad weather," a police spokesman said.

The Control room was set up on Sunday. He said that 20,546 calls were received on three dedicated phone numbers in the control room while 9,454 WhatsApp messages and pictures were received.

A team of officers has been dedicated to keep a check on the helpline numbers which provide information to the callers and also receive calls meant for getting help, he said.

The spokesman said most of the callers sought information about the water levels in River Jhelum and about waterlogging in many areas of the city.

"Police acted on the information provided by the callers by taking a number of measures - from monitoring the water levels to rescuing people and from dewatering to plugging the breaches alongwith the civil administration and the local populace," he said.

He said 728 persons belonging to 151 families were rescued by police with the help of civil administration and other agencies.

The spokesman said police has put an evacuation plan for Srinagar city in place and has deployed police personnel for patrolling on the banks of river Jhelum to keep a vigil on water level.

" SDRF teams have also been put into service at places alongwith the J&K Police. Tubes, ropes, trucks and other necessary equipments have been provided to the police stations for effective evacuations in case of any exigency," he said.

Boats have been placed at the disposal of the police stations of the west and south zones, he added.

"Besides, motorboats have been loaded and in collaboration with locals, sand bags have been placed at the possible breach spots at Kursoo Rajbagh, Pandrethan, Shivpora, Gundbal, Nowgam and Hamdania Colony in the city," he said.