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Punjab to target 6-minute police response time with 508 new emergency vehicles: CM Bhagwant Mann
Dial-112 fleet expanded across 28 districts as state steps up police modernisation and response systems.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday flagged off 508 Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) for the state police, saying the move would help bring down response time to around six minutes for distress calls.
The vehicles will be deployed across all 28 police districts under the Dial-112 system, aimed at strengthening on-ground policing and improving emergency response.
Addressing a gathering in Sangrur, Mann said the upgraded fleet and technology-enabled systems would help Punjab move closer to global benchmarks in emergency policing. “Dialling 112 will ensure prompt assistance to citizens,” he said.
According to officials, the ERVs are equipped with mobile data terminals, smartphones, dash cameras, wireless communication systems and GPS tracking, enabling real-time monitoring and faster dispatch.
The Chief Minister said the state has invested over ₹327 crore in police vehicles over the past four years, compared to lower allocations in previous regimes, adding that the modernisation drive has strengthened law and order and improved operational efficiency.
He noted that the Dial-112 system currently receives around 15,000 calls daily, of which about 1,500 require dispatch. Response time, he said, has already been reduced from 30–45 minutes to about 13–14 minutes.
Mann also linked improved policing to economic activity, citing investments such as a major project by Tata Steel as a sign of growing investor confidence in the state.
Highlighting efforts to curb drug trafficking, the Chief Minister said enforcement action has intensified, with higher conviction rates and a focus on dismantling supply chains. He also called for greater public participation, including social action against those involved in drug-related crimes.
The Chief Minister further said the government has expanded police capacity through recruitment and improved infrastructure, adding that technology such as artificial intelligence will be introduced in the future to enhance policing.
Separate initiatives such as the Sadak Surakhiya Force, deployed on highways, have also contributed to improved road safety, he added.
Officials said the expanded emergency response system is expected to play a key role in improving citizen safety and reducing response times across urban and rural areas.
