New Delhi: In a major step toward strengthening disaster preparedness, Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday launched the ‘Cell Broadcast Alert System’, aimed at delivering real-time emergency warnings directly to citizens’ mobile phones.
The system has been developed with the support of the National Disaster Management Authority under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to officials, the technology is designed to instantly send critical alerts related to natural disasters, emergencies, and public safety situations. As part of its rollout, a nationwide test was successfully conducted, during which mobile users across India received emergency messages accompanied by a loud alert tone.
The initiative is expected to significantly improve how quickly and effectively authorities can warn people during events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, severe weather conditions, and even man-made hazards like gas leaks or chemical incidents.
The alerts are being transmitted through the indigenous Integrated Alert System ‘SACHET’, developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics. The system follows the globally recognised Common Alerting Protocol recommended by the International Telecommunication Union, ensuring standardised and reliable communication.
Earlier in the day, the government issued a sample message informing users about the test and advising them not to panic. These alerts appeared as flash messages on mobile screens along with a distinct alarm sound.
Officials noted that the system is currently undergoing extensive testing across the country to ensure reliability before full-scale implementation. Once operational nationwide, it will be capable of sending alerts in multiple Indian languages to all mobile users, even in targeted geographic areas.
The National Disaster Management Authority, India’s apex disaster management body, is overseeing the process to ensure the system is robust and ready for deployment.
With inputs from IANS