Karnataka: 108 Ambulance Service to Run on Backup During Command Centre Shutdown

The Karnataka Health Department has activated a backup system for the 108 ambulance service as the state's command and control centre remains shut for scheduled maintenance at the Karnataka State Data Centre. Officials said emergency ambulance services will continue without disruption.

The Karnataka Health Department has announced that the government's command and control centre for the 108 ambulance and 104 health helpline services will remain non-operational from 9 pm on June 25 until 9 pm on June 26 due to scheduled maintenance at the Karnataka State Data Centre (KSDC). However, officials have assured the public that emergency ambulance services will continue uninterrupted through a dedicated backup command and control system during this period.

Why Is the Ambulance Command Centre Shut?

The government's command and control centre operates on the 112 Next Generation Emergency Response Support System (NG-ERSS), developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Thiruvananthapuram. All the system's servers are hosted at the Karnataka State Data Centre (KSDC).

The KSDC is carrying out scheduled electrical maintenance, which requires a complete shutdown of its power supply until 9 pm on June 26. As a result, the command and control centre will remain temporarily unavailable.

Backup System Ready, Says Health Department

The Health Department has assured the public that adequate arrangements have been made to ensure there is no disruption to emergency ambulance services. People can continue to dial 108 as usual to access emergency medical assistance.

The department clarified that all calls to the free 108 ambulance service will be received and managed through a backup command and control room during the maintenance period. Officials have urged the public not to panic, assuring them that emergency response services will continue to function without interruption.